	Site Map \| FAQ in Daily Almanac for Feb 16, 2012
Skip Navigation Home Black History Month Atlas Encyclopedia Dictionary Thesaurus Features Quizzes Timelines Countries

Fact Monster Kid's reference,
games, quizzes

Editor's Favorites

| Share

Sponsored LinksTravel reviews & great deals at TripAdvisor:

Alaska (United States)

Encyclopedia—Alaska

Government, Politics, and Higher Education

Alaska operates under a constitution drawn up and ratified in 1956 (effective with statehood). Its executive branch is headed by a governor and a secretary of state, both elected (on the same ticket) for four-year terms. Alaska's bicameral legislature has a senate with 20 members and a house of representatives with 40 members. The state sends two senators and one representative to the U.S. Congress and has three electoral votes.

Democrats at first dominated state politics, but Republicans have gained gradual ascendance since 1966. A Democrat, Tony Knowles, was elected governor in 1994 and reelected in 1998. The GOP recaptured the governorship in 2002 when Frank Murkowski was elected to the office. In 2006 Republican Sarah Palin was elected governor, defeating Murkowski in the primary and Knowles in the general election. She was the first woman to win the governship.

Alaska's educational institutions include the Univ. of Alaska, with divisions at Fairbanks, Anchorage, and Juneau; and Alaska Pacific Univ., at Anchorage.

Sections in this article: