United States congressional delegations from Alaska

Since Alaska became a U.S. state in 1959,[1] it has sent congressional delegations to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives. Each state elects two senators to serve for six years, and member(s) of the House to two-year terms. Before becoming a state, the Territory of Alaska elected a non-voting delegate at-large to Congress from 1906 to 1959.

Map of Alaska's single congressional district.

These are tables of congressional delegations from Alaska to the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives.

Current delegation

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Current U.S. senators from Alaska
Alaska

CPVI (2022):[2]
R+8
Class II senator Class III senator
 
Dan Sullivan
(Junior senator)
(Anchorage)
 
Lisa Murkowski
(Senior senator)
(Girdwood)
Party Republican Republican
Incumbent since January 3, 2015 December 20, 2002

Alaska's current congressional delegation in the 118th Congress consists of its two senators, who are both Republicans and its sole representative, who is a Democrat. The current dean of the Alaska delegation is Senator Lisa Murkowski having served in the Senate since 2002. Lisa Murkowski is the first elected senator born in Alaska.[3]

Current U.S. representatives from Alaska
District Member
(Residence)[4]
Party Incumbent since CPVI
(2022)[5]
District map
At-large  
Mary Peltola
(Bethel)
Democratic August 16, 2022 R+8  

United States Senate

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Each state elects two senators by statewide popular vote every six years.[6] The terms of the two senators are staggered so that they are not elected in the same year, meaning that each seat also has a class determining the years in which the seat will be up for election. Alaska's senators are elected in classes 2 and 3.

There have been eight senators from Alaska, of whom four have been Democrats and four have been Republicans. William Egan and Ernest Gruening were elected to the Senate on October 6, 1956 for the 84th Congress but did not take the oath of office and were not accorded senatorial privileges, since Alaska was not yet a state.[7] Alaska's current senators, both Republicans, are Dan Sullivan, in office since 2015, and Lisa Murkowski, in office since 2002.

United States House of Representatives

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1906–1959: 1 non-voting delegate

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Starting on August 14, 1906, Alaska sent a non-voting delegate to the House. From May 17, 1884 to August 24, 1912, Alaska was designated as the District of Alaska. From then to January 3, 1959, it was the Alaska Territory.

Congress Delegate from
territorial district
59th (1905–1907) Frank Hinman Waskey (D)
60th (1907–1909) Thomas Cale (I)
61st (1909–1911) James Wickersham (R)
62nd (1911–1913)
63rd (1913–1915)
64th (1915–1917)
65th (1917–1919) Charles A. Sulzer (D)
James Wickersham[b] (R)
66th (1919–1921) Charles A. Sulzer[a] (D)
George B. Grigsby (D)
James Wickersham[c] (R)
67th (1921–1923) Daniel Sutherland (R)
68th (1923–1925)
69th (1925–1927)
70th (1927–1929)
71st (1929–1931)
72nd (1931–1933) James Wickersham (R)
73rd (1933–1935) Anthony Dimond (D)
74th (1935–1937)
75th (1937–1939)
76th (1939–1941)
77th (1941–1943)
78th (1943–1945)
79th (1945–1947) Bob Bartlett (D)
80th (1947–1949)
81st (1949–1951)
82nd (1951–1953)
83rd (1953–1955)
84th (1955–1957)
85th (1957–1959)

1959–present: 1 seat

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Since statehood on January 3, 1959, Alaska has had one seat in the House.

Democratic (D)
Republican (R)
Independent (I)

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d Died in office.
  2. ^ Successfully contested the election of George Barnes Grigsby, the representative who replaced Charles A. Sulzer.
  3. ^ Contested the election of Charles August Sulzer, and when Sulzer died, continued the contest against his successor George Barnes Grigsby and won.
  4. ^ Disappeared October 16, 1972, re-elected November 7, declared dead December 29.
  5. ^ Elected to fill the vacancy caused by the previous representative, Nick Begich Sr. being re-elected (presumably posthumously) to the next term.
  6. ^ Elected to fill the vacancy caused by the previous representative, Don Young dying in office.

References

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  1. ^ "From Territory to Statehood: Alaska and Hawaii - Topics in Chronicling America (Newspaper and Current Periodical Reading Room, Library of Congress)". www.loc.gov. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  2. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: State Map and List". Cook Political Report. Retrieved 2023-01-05.
  3. ^ "Lisa Murkowski -". Archives of Women's Political Communication. Retrieved 2021-08-02.
  4. ^ "Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives". clerk.house.gov. Retrieved 2022-01-06.
  5. ^ "2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List". The Cook Political Report. July 12, 2022. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  6. ^ "U.S. Constitution, Amendment XVII". Archived from the original on July 11, 2021. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  7. ^ "Biographical Directory of the U.S. Congress - Retro Member details". bioguideretro.congress.gov. Retrieved 2021-08-02.