List of governors of Alaska facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Governor of Alaska
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)

The governor of Alaska (in Iñupiaq, Alaaskam kavanaa) is the main leader of the government in Alaska. The governor is like the chief manager of the state. They hold the highest position in the state's executive branch. They are also the commander of Alaska's state forces, which are part of the Alaska Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.

Since Alaska became a state, twelve different people have served as governor. However, Alaska had more than 30 civilian and military leaders when it was a United States territory. Only two governors, William A. Egan and Bill Walker, were born in Alaska. Two people, Egan and Wally Hickel, were elected more than once, but not right after each other. Wally Hickel is also famous for winning an election in 1990 as a member of a third party, the Alaskan Independence Party. The governor who served the longest was William A. Egan. He was elected three times and served for almost 12 years. The longest-serving territorial governor was Ernest Gruening, who served for over 13 years.

The current governor is Mike Dunleavy, who is a Republican. He started his term on December 3, 2018.

Alaska's Early Leaders
Governors of the State of Alaska
Timeline of Governors
Images for kids
See also

Alaska's Early Leaders

Alaska was bought by the United States from the Russian Empire in 1867. The official transfer happened on October 18, 1867. This day is now celebrated as Alaska Day. Before that, it was called Russian America. It was controlled by leaders of the Russian-American Company.

Commanders of the Department of Alaska

At first, this huge area was called the Department of Alaska. It was managed by the Department of War and led by Army officers. This lasted until 1877, when the Army left Alaska. Then, the Department of the Treasury took over. The Collector of Customs became the highest federal official. In 1879, the Navy was put in charge.

Some people think the first American leader of Alaska was Polish immigrant Włodzimierz Krzyżanowski. But the Anchorage Daily News could not find clear proof for this idea.

Early Federal Leaders of Alaska
No.		Role	Time 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 renamed the District of Alaska. It became a territory with a civil government, but it was not yet fully organized. The president of the United States chose the governor.

Governors of the District of Alaska
No.		Time in Office	Appointed by
1	John Henry Kinkead (1826–1904)	July 4, 1884 – May 8, 1885 (new governor chosen)	Arthur, Chester A.Chester A. Arthur
2	Alfred P. Swineford (1836–1909)	May 8, 1885 – April 13, 1889 (left office)	Cleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
3	Lyman Enos Knapp (1837–1904)	April 13, 1889 – June 28, 1893 (new governor chosen)	Harrison, BenjaminBenjamin Harrison
4	James Sheakley (1829–1917)	June 28, 1893 – July 15, 1897 (left office)	Cleveland, GroverGrover Cleveland
5	John Green Brady (1848–1918)	June 19, 1897 – March 21, 1906 (left office)	McKinley, WilliamWilliam McKinley
5	John Green Brady (1848–1918)	June 19, 1897 – March 21, 1906 (left office)	Roosevelt, TheodoreTheodore Roosevelt
6	Wilford Bacon Hoggatt (1865–1938)	March 21, 1906 – October 1, 1909 (left office)	Roosevelt, TheodoreTheodore Roosevelt
7	Walter Eli Clark (1869–1950)	May 20, 1909 – August 24, 1912 (became territorial governor)	Taft, William HowardWilliam Howard Taft

Governors of the Territory of Alaska

The District of Alaska became the Territory of Alaska on August 24, 1912. This happened through the Second Organic Act. The president of the United States continued to appoint the governors.

Governors of the Territory of Alaska
No.		Time in Office	Appointed by
1	Walter Eli Clark (1869–1950)	August 24, 1912 – May 1, 1913 (left office)	Taft, William HowardWilliam Howard Taft
2	John Franklin Alexander Strong (1856–1929)	May 1, 1913 – April 12, 1918 (new governor chosen)	Wilson, WoodrowWoodrow Wilson
3	Thomas Riggs Jr. (1873–1945)	April 12, 1918 – June 13, 1921 (left office)	Wilson, WoodrowWoodrow Wilson
4	Scott Cordelle Bone (1860–1936)	June 13, 1921 – February 18, 1925 (new governor chosen)	Harding, Warren G.Warren G. Harding
5	George Alexander Parks (1883–1984)	February 18, 1925 – March 30, 1933 (new governor chosen)	Coolidge, CalvinCalvin Coolidge
6	John Weir Troy (1868–1942)	March 30, 1933 – December 5, 1939 (left office)	Roosevelt, Franklin D.Franklin D. Roosevelt
7	Ernest Gruening (1887–1974)	September 2, 1939 – March 16, 1953 (new governor chosen)	Roosevelt, Franklin D.Franklin D. Roosevelt
7	Ernest Gruening (1887–1974)	September 2, 1939 – March 16, 1953 (new governor chosen)	Truman, Harry S.Harry S. Truman
8	B. Frank Heintzleman (1888–1965)	March 16, 1953 – January 3, 1957 (left office)	Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower
9	Mike Stepovich (1919–2014)	May 16, 1957 – August 9, 1958 (left office)	Eisenhower, Dwight D.Dwight D. Eisenhower

Governors of the State of Alaska

Alaska officially became a state on January 3, 1959. This is called admission to the Union.

The state constitution explains how the governor and lieutenant governor are chosen. They are elected together every four years. Their terms begin on the first Monday in December after the election. A governor can serve two terms in a row. After that, they must wait four years before they can run for governor again. If the governor's office becomes empty, the lieutenant governor takes over. The original constitution from 1956 created a "secretary of state" role. This role was very similar to a lieutenant governor. It was officially renamed "lieutenant governor" in 1970.

Governors of the State of Alaska
No.		Time in Office	Party	Election	Lt. Governor
1	William A. Egan (1914–1984)	January 3, 1959 – December 5, 1966 (lost election)	Democratic	1958		Wade, HughHugh Wade
1	William A. Egan (1914–1984)	January 3, 1959 – December 5, 1966 (lost election)	Democratic	1962		Wade, HughHugh Wade
2	Wally Hickel (1919–2010)	December 5, 1966 – January 24, 1969 (left office)	Republican	1966		Miller, Keith HarveyKeith Harvey Miller
3	Keith Harvey Miller (1925–2019)	January 24, 1969 – December 7, 1970 (lost election)	Republican	Took over from secretary of state		Ward, Robert W.Robert W. Ward
1	William A. Egan (1914–1984)	December 7, 1970 – December 2, 1974 (lost election)	Democratic	1970		Boucher, H. A.H. A. Boucher
4	Jay Hammond (1922–2005)	December 2, 1974 – December 6, 1982 (term limit reached)	Republican	1974		Thomas Jr., LowellLowell Thomas Jr.
4	Jay Hammond (1922–2005)	December 2, 1974 – December 6, 1982 (term limit reached)	Republican	1978		Miller, TerryTerry Miller
5	Bill Sheffield (1928–2022)	December 6, 1982 – December 1, 1986 (lost nomination)	Democratic	1982		McAlpine, SteveSteve McAlpine
6	Steve Cowper (b. 1938)	December 1, 1986 – December 3, 1990 (did not run)	Democratic	1986		McAlpine, SteveSteve McAlpine
2	Wally Hickel (1919–2010)	December 3, 1990 – December 5, 1994 (did not run)	Alaskan Independence	1990		Coghill, JackJack Coghill
7	Tony Knowles (b. 1943)	December 5, 1994 – December 2, 2002 (term limit reached)	Democratic	1994		Ulmer, FranFran Ulmer
7	Tony Knowles (b. 1943)	December 5, 1994 – December 2, 2002 (term limit reached)	Democratic	1998		Ulmer, FranFran Ulmer
8	Frank Murkowski (b. 1933)	December 2, 2002 – December 4, 2006 (lost nomination)	Republican	2002		Leman, LorenLoren Leman
9	Sarah Palin (b. 1964)	December 4, 2006 – July 26, 2009 (left office)	Republican	2006		Parnell, SeanSean Parnell
10	Sean Parnell (b. 1962)	July 26, 2009 – December 1, 2014 (lost election)	Republican	Took over from lieutenant governor	Vacant
				Took over from lieutenant governor		Campbell, CraigCraig Campbell (took office August 10, 2009)
				2010		Treadwell, MeadMead Treadwell
11	Bill Walker (b. 1951)	December 1, 2014 – December 3, 2018 (withdrew)	Independent	2014		Mallott, ByronByron Mallott (left office October 16, 2018)
11	Bill Walker (b. 1951)	December 1, 2014 – December 3, 2018 (withdrew)	Independent	2014		Davidson, ValerieValerie Davidson
12	Mike Dunleavy (b. 1961)	December 3, 2018 – Incumbent	Republican	2018		Meyer, KevinKevin Meyer
12	Mike Dunleavy (b. 1961)	December 3, 2018 – Incumbent	Republican	2022		Dahlstrom, NancyNancy Dahlstrom