List of governors of Alaska

The governor of Alaska (Iñupiaq: Alaaskam kavanaa) is the head of government of Alaska. The governor is the chief executive of the state and is the holder of the highest office in the executive branch of the government as well as being the commander in chief of the Alaska's state forces.

Governor of Alaska
Alaaskam Kavanaa
The Seal of the State of Alaska
Incumbent Mike Dunleavy since December 3, 2018
Government of Alaska
Residence	Alaska Governor's Mansion
Term length	Four years, renewable once consecutively
Inaugural holder	William A. Egan
Formation	January 3, 1959
Succession	Line of succession
Deputy	Lieutenant Governor of Alaska
Salary	$145,000 (2022)[1]
Website	gov.alaska.gov

Twelve people have served as governor of the State of Alaska over 14 distinct terms, though Alaska had over 30 civilian and military governors during its long history as a United States territory. Only two governors, William A. Egan and Bill Walker, were born in Alaska. Two people, Egan and Wally Hickel, have been elected to multiple non-consecutive terms as governor. Hickel is also noted for a rare third party win in American politics, having been elected to a term in 1990 representing the Alaskan Independence Party. The longest-serving governor of the state was Egan, who was elected three times and served nearly 12 years. The longest-serving territorial governor was Ernest Gruening, who served over 13 years.

The current governor is Republican Mike Dunleavy, who took office on December 3, 2018.

Governors before statehood

Alaska was purchased by the United States from the Russian Empire in 1867, with formal transfer occurring on October 18, 1867,^[2] which is now celebrated as Alaska Day. Before then, it was known as Russian America or Russian Alaska, controlled by the governors and general managers of the Russian-American Company.

Commanders of the Department of Alaska

The vast region was initially designated the Department of Alaska, under the jurisdiction of the Department of War and administered by Army officers until 1877, when the Army was withdrawn from Alaska. The Department of the Treasury then took control, with the Collector of Customs as the highest ranking federal official in the territory. In 1879, the Navy was given jurisdiction over the department.^[3]

Some believe the first American administrator of Alaska was Polish immigrant Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski. However, the Anchorage Daily News was unable to find any conclusive information to support this claim.^[4]

Chief federal officers of the Department of Alaska

No.	Commander		Position	Term in office
1		Jefferson C. Davis (1828–1879)	Army Colonel	October 18, 1867 – August 31, 1870
2		George K. Brady (1838–1899)	Army Captain	September 1, 1870 – September 22, 1870
3		John C. Tidball (1825–1906)	Army Major	September 23, 1870 – September 19, 1871
4		Harvey A. Allen (1818–1882)	Army Major	September 20, 1871 – January 3, 1873
5		Joseph Stewart (1822–1904)	Army Major	January 4, 1873 – April 20, 1874
6		George B. Rodney Jr. (1842–1927)	Army Captain	April 21, 1874 – August 16, 1874
7		Joseph B. Campbell (d. 1891)	Army Captain	August 17, 1874 – June 14, 1876
8		John Mendenhall (1829–1892)	Army Major	June 15, 1876 – March 4, 1877
9		Arthur Morris (1843–1892)	Army Captain	March 5, 1877 – June 14, 1877
10		Montgomery P. Berry (1828–1898)	Collector of Customs	June 14, 1877 – August 13, 1877
11		Henry Charles DeAhna (d. 1891)	Collector of Customs	August 14, 1877 – March 26, 1878
12		M. D. Ball (1835–1887)	Collector of Customs	March 27, 1878 – June 13, 1879
13		Lester A. Beardslee (1836–1903)	Navy Captain	June 14, 1879 – September 12, 1880
14		Henry Glass (1844–1908)	Navy Commander	September 13, 1880 – August 9, 1881
15		Edward P. Lull (1836–1887)	Navy Commander	August 10, 1881 – October 18, 1881
16		Henry Glass (1844–1908)	Navy Commander	October 19, 1881 – March 12, 1882
17		Frederick Pearson (1842–1890)	Navy Commander	March 13, 1882 – October 3, 1882
18		Edgar C. Merriman (1840–1894)	Navy Commander	October 4, 1882 – September 13, 1883
19		Joseph Coghlan (1844–1908)	Navy Commander	September 15, 1883 – September 13, 1884
20		Henry E. Nichols (1842–1899)	Navy Lieutenant commander	September 14, 1884 – September 15, 1884

Governors of the District of Alaska

On May 17, 1884, the Department of Alaska was redesignated the District of Alaska, an incorporated but unorganized territory with a civil government.^[5] The governor was appointed by the president of the United States.

Governors of the District of Alaska

No.	Governor		Term in office[a]	Appointed by
1		John Henry Kinkead (1826–1904) [6]	July 4, 1884[b] – May 8, 1885 (successor appointed)	Chester A. Arthur
2		Alfred P. Swineford (1836–1909) [10]	May 8, 1885[c] – April 13, 1889 (resigned)[d]	Grover Cleveland
3		Lyman Enos Knapp (1837–1904) [17]	April 13, 1889[e] – June 28, 1893 (successor appointed)[f]	Benjamin Harrison
4		James Sheakley (1829–1917) [21]	June 28, 1893[g] – July 15, 1897 (resigned)[h]	Grover Cleveland
5		John Green Brady (1848–1918) [25]	June 19, 1897[i] – March 21, 1906 (resigned)[j]	William McKinley
				Theodore Roosevelt
6		Wilford Bacon Hoggatt (1865–1938) [31]	March 21, 1906[k] – October 1, 1909 (resigned)[l]	Theodore Roosevelt
7		Walter Eli Clark (1869–1950) [36]	May 20, 1909[m] – August 24, 1912 (became territorial governor)	William Howard Taft

Governors of the Territory of Alaska

The District of Alaska was organized into Alaska Territory on August 24, 1912.^[40] Governors continued to be appointed by the president of the United States.

Governors of the Territory of Alaska

No.	Governor		Term in office[a]	Appointed by
1		Walter Eli Clark (1869–1950) [36]	August 24, 1912 – May 1, 1913 (resigned)[n]	William Howard Taft
2		John Franklin Alexander Strong (1856–1929) [42]	May 1, 1913[o] – April 12, 1918 (successor appointed)[p]	Woodrow Wilson
3		Thomas Riggs Jr. (1873–1945) [48]	April 12, 1918[q] – June 13, 1921 (resigned)[r]	Woodrow Wilson
4		Scott Cordelle Bone (1860–1936) [52]	June 13, 1921[s] – February 18, 1925 (successor appointed)	Warren G. Harding
5		George Alexander Parks (1883–1984) [56]	February 18, 1925[t] – March 30, 1933 (successor appointed)	Calvin Coolidge
6		John Weir Troy (1868–1942) [60]	March 30, 1933[u] – December 5, 1939 (resigned)[v]	Franklin D. Roosevelt
7		Ernest Gruening[w] (1887–1974) [67]	September 2, 1939[x] – March 16, 1953 (successor appointed)	Franklin D. Roosevelt
				Harry S. Truman
8		B. Frank Heintzleman (1888–1965) [74]	March 16, 1953[y] – January 3, 1957 (resigned)[z]	Dwight D. Eisenhower
9		Mike Stepovich (1919–2014) [81]	May 16, 1957[aa] – August 9, 1958 (resigned)[ab]	Dwight D. Eisenhower

Governors of the State of Alaska

Alaska was admitted to the Union on January 3, 1959.

The state constitution provides for the election of a governor and lieutenant governor every four years on the same ticket, with their terms commencing on the first Monday in the December following the election. Governors are allowed to succeed themselves once, having to wait four years after their second term in a row before being allowed to run again. Should the office of governor become vacant, the lieutenant governor assumes the office of governor. The original constitution of 1956 created the office of secretary of state, which was functionally identical to a lieutenant governor, and was renamed to "lieutenant governor" in 1970.^[87]

Governors of the State of Alaska

No.	Governor			Term in office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor[ac][ad]
1			William A. Egan (1914–1984) [88][89]	January 3, 1959[90] – December 5, 1966 (lost election)[ae]	Democratic[92]	1958		Hugh Wade
						1962
2			Wally Hickel (1919–2010) [93][94]	December 5, 1966[95] – January 24, 1969 (resigned)[af]	Republican[92]	1966		Keith Harvey Miller
3			Keith Harvey Miller (1925–2019) [96][97]	January 24, 1969[98] – December 7, 1970 (lost election)	Republican[92]	Succeeded from secretary of state		Robert W. Ward
1			William A. Egan (1914–1984) [88][89]	December 7, 1970[99] – December 2, 1974 (lost election)	Democratic[92]	1970		H. A. Boucher
4			Jay Hammond (1922–2005) [100][101]	December 2, 1974[102] – December 6, 1982 (term-limited)[ag]	Republican[92]	1974		Lowell Thomas Jr.
						1978		Terry Miller
5			Bill Sheffield (1928–2022) [104]	December 6, 1982[105] – December 1, 1986 (lost nomination)[106]	Democratic[104]	1982		Steve McAlpine
6			Steve Cowper (b. 1938) [107]	December 1, 1986[108] – December 3, 1990 (did not run)[109]	Democratic[107]	1986
2			Wally Hickel (1919–2010) [94]	December 3, 1990[110] – December 5, 1994 (did not run)[111]	Alaskan Independence[ah]	1990		Jack Coghill
7			Tony Knowles (b. 1943) [113]	December 5, 1994[114] – December 2, 2002 (term-limited)[ag]	Democratic[113]	1994		Fran Ulmer
						1998
8			Frank Murkowski (b. 1933) [115]	December 2, 2002[116] – December 4, 2006 (lost nomination)[117]	Republican[115]	2002		Loren Leman
9			Sarah Palin (b. 1964) [118]	December 4, 2006[119] – July 26, 2009 (resigned)[ai]	Republican[118]	2006		Sean Parnell
10			Sean Parnell (b. 1962) [121]	July 26, 2009[122] – December 1, 2014 (lost election)[123]	Republican[121]	Succeeded from lieutenant governor	Vacant
								Craig Campbell (took office August 10, 2009)[aj]
						2010		Mead Treadwell
11			Bill Walker (b. 1951) [126]	December 1, 2014[127] – December 3, 2018 (withdrew)[ak]	Independent[126]	2014		Byron Mallott (resigned October 16, 2018)
								Valerie Davidson
12			Mike Dunleavy (b. 1961) [129]	December 3, 2018[130] – Incumbent[al]	Republican[129]	2018		Kevin Meyer
						2022		Nancy Dahlstrom

Timeline

Timeline of Alaska governors

Electoral history

Year	Democratic nominee				Republican nominee				Independent candidate				Alaskan Independence nominee				Libertarian nominee				Green nominee				Other candidate				Other candidate
	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%	Candidate		#	%
1958		William A. Egan	29,189	59.61%		John Butrovich	19,299	39.41%		Mike Dollinter	480	0.98%	–				–				–				–				–
1962		William A. Egan	29,627	52.27%		Mike Stepovich	27,054	47.73%	–				–				–				–				–				–
1966		William A. Egan	32,065	48.37%		Wally Hickel	33,145	49.99%		John Grasse	1,084	1.64%	–				–				–				–				–
1970		William A. Egan	42,309	52.38%		Keith H. Miller	37,264	46.13%	–				–				–				–					Ralph Anderson (American Independent)	1,206	1.49%	–
1974		William A. Egan	45,553	47.37%		Jay Hammond	45,840	47.67%	–					Joe Vogler	4,770	4.96%	–				–				–				–
1978		Chancy Croft	25,656	20.22%		Jay Hammond	49,580	39.07%		Tom Kelly	15,656	12.34%		Don Wright	2,463	1.94%	–				–					Wally Hickel (Republican/Write-in)	33,555	26.44%	–
1982		Bill Sheffield	89,918	46.12%		Tom Fink	72,291	37.09%	–					Joe Vogler	3,235	1.66%		Dick Randolph	29,067	14.91%	–				–				–
1986		Steve Cowper	84,943	47.31%		Arliss Sturgulewski	76,515	42.61%	–					Joe Vogler	10,013	5.58%		Mary Jane O'Brannon	1,050	0.58%	–				–				–
1990		Tony Knowles	60,201	30.91%		Arliss Sturgulewski	50,991	26.18%	–					Wally Hickel	75,721	38.88%	–					Jim Sykes	6,563	3.37%		Michael O'Callaghan (The Political Party)	942	0.48%	–
1994		Tony Knowles	87,693	41.08%		Jim Campbell	87,157	40.84%	–					Jack Coghill	27,838	13.04%	–					Jim Sykes	8,727	4.09%		Ralph Winterrowd (Patriot)	1,743	0.82%	–
1998		Tony Knowles	112,879	51.27%		John Howard Lindauer	39,331	17.86%	–					Sylvia Sullivan	4,238	1.92%	–					Desa Jacobsson	6,618	3.01%		Robin L. Taylor (Republican/Write-in)	40,209	18.26%		Ray Metcalfe (Republican Moderate)	13,540	6.15%
2002		Fran Ulmer	94,216	40.70%		Frank Murkowski	129,279	55.85%	–					Don Wright	2,185	0.94%		Billy Toien	1,109	0.48%		Diane E. Benson	2,926	1.26%		Raymond VinZant (Republican Moderate)	1,506	0.65%	–
2006		Tony Knowles	97,238	40.97%		Sarah Palin	114,697	48.33%		Andrew Halcro	22,443	9.46%		Don Wright	1,285	0.54%		Billy Toien	682	0.29%		David Massie	593	0.25%	–				–
2010		Ethan Berkowitz	96,519	37.67%		Sean Parnell	151,318	59.06%	–					Don Wright	4,775	1.86%		Billy Toien	2,682	1.05%	–				–				–
2014	–					Sean Parnell	128,435	45.88%		Bill Walker	134,658	48.10%	–					Carolyn Clift	8,985	3.21%	–					J.R. Myers (Constitution)	6,987	2.50%	–
2018		Mark Begich	125,739	44.41%		Mike Dunleavy	145,631	51.44%		Bill Walker	5,757	2.03%	–					Billy Toien	5,402	1.91%	–				–				–
2022		Les Gara	63,851	24.21%		Mike Dunleavy	132,632	50.29%		Bill Walker	54,688	20.73%	–				–				–					Charlie Pierce (Republican)	11,817	4.48%	–

See also

• Gubernatorial lines of succession in the United States#Alaska
• List of Alaska State Legislatures
• List of governors of dependent territories in the 19th century
• List of governors of dependent territories in the 20th century

Notes

1. The range given is from the date the governor was confirmed by the Senate, or appointed by the President during a Senate recess, to the date the governor's successor was confirmed, unless noted.
2. Kinkead was nominated on June 27, 1884,^[7] and confirmed by the Senate on July 4.^[8] It is unknown precisely when he took office; the only contemporary news found thus far reported it was on or just before September 15.^[9]
3. Swineford was appointed on May 8, 1885,^[11] during a Senate recess; nominated on December 10;^[12] and confirmed by the Senate on June 7.^[13] He took office in Alaska on September 15.^[14]
4. Swineford submitted his resignation on March 4, 1889, to take effect when his successor was appointed;^[15] while modern sources say he resigned on April 20,^[10] his successor was nominated on April 13, took the oath of office outside of the state on April 15, and took office on June 1.^[16] As no sourcing of when Swineford actually left office has been found, this article uses the date his successor was confirmed, April 13.
5. Knapp was appointed on April 13, 1889,^[16] during a Senate recess; nominated on December 17;^[18] and confirmed by the Senate on December 21.^[19] He took the oath of office out of state on April 15,^[16] and took office on June 1.^[16]
6. No sources specify when Knapp left office; McMullin says "August 1893", which is when his successor took office, but their presidential appointment specified, "vice Lyman E. Knapp, removed", implying he may not have remained governor until then.^[20] As his successor was appointed on June 28, that date is used here.
7. Sheakley was appointed on June 28, 1893,^[20] during a Senate recess; nominated on August 18;^[20] and confirmed by the Senate on August 23.^[22] He took office on August 29.^[21]
8. Contemporary news reported that Sheakley resigned July 15, 1897,^[23] and the presidential appointment of his successor also said he resigned;^[24] no source yet found specifies why.
9. Brady was nominated on June 15, 1897,^[24] confirmed by the Senate on June 19,^[26] and took office on July 15.^[25] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on June 7, 1900,^[27] and January 15, 1905.^[28]
10. Brady was forced to resign due to his involvement with the fraudulent Reynolds–Alaska Development Company.^[25][29] He submitted his resignation on February 14, 1906, to take effect upon the appointment of his successor.^[30]
11. Hoggatt was nominated on March 12, 1906,^[32] confirmed by the Senate on March 21,^[33] and took office on April 30.^[34]
12. Hoggatt resigned to tend to business interests. He submitted his resignation on May 18, 1909, to take effect on October 1, when his successor's term was scheduled to begin.^[35]
13. Clark was nominated on May 18, 1909,^[37] confirmed by the Senate on May 20,^[38] and took office on October 1.^[39]
14. Clark submitted his resignation on March 4, 1913, to take effect upon the appointment of his successor, to return to private life.^[41]
15. Strong was nominated on April 21, 1913,^[43] confirmed by the Senate on May 1,^[44] and took office on May 21.^[45]
16. According to Ernest Gruening, Wilson declined to reappoint Strong because he may have still been a Canadian citizen.^[42] President Wilson's nomination of Strong's successor specified, "vice John F. A. Strong, term expired and resigned;"^[46] however, Strong denied resigning.^[47]
17. Riggs was nominated on March 7, 1918,^[46] confirmed by the Senate on April 12,^[49] and took office on April 26.^[50]
18. President Wilson's nomination of Riggs' successor specified, "vice Thomas Riggs, resigned;" no other reference to Riggs' resignation has been found.^[51]
19. Bone was nominated on June 1, 1921,^[51] and confirmed by the Senate on June 13.^[53] He was sworn in out of state on June 15,^[54] and took office on July 13.^[55]
20. Parks was nominated on February 16, 1925,^[57] confirmed on February 18,^[58] and took office on June 16.^[59]
21. Troy was nominated on March 23, 1933,^[61] confirmed on March 30,^[62] and took office on April 19.^[63] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on May 20, 1937.^[64]
22. Troy resigned due to poor health.^[60] He submitted his resignation on August 29, 1939, to take effect October 15; he was asked by President Roosevelt to remain longer until his successor took office.^[65]
23. During most of World War II, Lt. Gen. Simon Bolivar Buckner Jr., was the military commander of Alaska, and held much executive power over the territory.^[66]
24. Gruening was appointed on September 2, 1939,^[68] during a Senate recess; nominated on January 4, 1940,^[69] and confirmed by the Senate on February 1, 1940.^[70] He took office on December 5, 1939.^[71] He was reconfirmed by the Senate on March 22, 1944,^[72] and April 8, 1949.^[73]
25. Heintzleman was nominated on March 11, 1953,^[75] confirmed by the Senate on March 16,^[76] and took office on April 10.^[77]
26. Heintzleman resigned to return to private life;^[74] some sources say he was unhappy with the job, and did not expect to be reappointed.^[78] He submitted his resignation to President Eisenhower on December 19, 1956,^[79] and it took effect on January 3, 1957; Territorial Secretary Waino Hendrickson acted as governor until his successor arrived.^[80]
27. Stepovich was nominated on May 9, 1957,^[82] confirmed by the Senate on May 16,^[83] and took office on June 8.^[84]
28. Stepovich resigned to run for the United States Senate, losing that election.^[85] He submitted his resignation on August 1, 1958, to take effect August 9;^[86] Territorial Secretary Waino Hendrickson acted as governor until statehood.
29. The office of lieutenant governor was named secretary of state until 1970.^[87]
30. Lieutenant governors represented the same party as their governor unless noted.
31. As Egan's first term did not begin until statehood, he had not served the "two full successive terms" that would have constitutionally prohibited him from running for a third term.^[91]
32. Hickel resigned, having been confirmed as United States Secretary of the Interior.^[94]
33. Governors who have served two full successive terms are not eligible again until another full term has passed.^[103]
34. Hickel was elected as a member of the Alaskan Independence Party,^[94] and switched to the Republican party in April 1994.^[112]
35. Palin resigned, citing the costs of ethics investigations.^[120]
36. Campbell's position was termed "Temporary Substitute Lieutenant Governor^[124] until he was confirmed by the Alaska Legislature on August 10, 2009.^[125]
37. Walker withdrew from the election on October 19, 2018, after the deadline of September 4, and so remained on the ballot.^[128]
38. Dunleavy's second term began on December 5, 2022,^[131] and will expire on December 7, 2026; he will be term-limited.