Alaska Senate
Encyclopedia
The Alaska Senate is the upper house
in the Alaska Legislature
, the state legislature of the U.S. state
of Alaska
. The Senate consists of twenty members, each of whom represents an equal amount of districts with populations of about 31,347 people (2000 figures). Senators serve four-year terms, without term limits
. Half of the Alaska Senate is up for re-election every two years. With just twenty senators, the Alaska Senate is the smallest upper house legislative chamber in the United States
.
Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal Senate
, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet
, commissions and boards.
The Senate convenes at the State Capitol
in Juneau
.
presides over the body, appointing members to all of the Senate's committees and joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. Unlike many other states, the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska does not preside over the Senate. Instead, the Lieutenant Governor oversees the Alaska Division of Elections, fulfilling the role of Secretary of State
. Only two other states, Hawaii
and Utah
, have similar constitutional arrangements for their lieutenant governors. The other partisan Senate leadership positions, such as the Majority
and Minority
leaders, are (usually) elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.
was announced between all nine senate Democrats and six senate Republicans.
Democrats chaired the Judiciary, Health, Education, & Social Services, Labor and Commerce, Community and Regional Affairs, and Transportation Committees, and co-chaired the powerful Finance Committee. The senate Republicans in the coalition also had a co-chair for the Finance Committee (the minority Republicans were given only one seat on the committee), and chair the State Affairs, Resources, and Rules Committees.
Because of the Republican split, the Democrats controlled a majority of committee chairmanships while Republicans in the governing coalition chaired the others. In the beginning, the majority leader
was a Republican who had joined the bi-partisan coalition, and the minority leader
was head of the five-member Republican organization. Hence, all three listed officers of the body were Republicans, as different aspects are in the majority (with the chamber-wide minority Democrats) while others are in the official minority. Later on in the session a Democrat in the coalition took over as majority leader.
The split was largely viewed as over the senate presidency. The minority leader
was the Republicans' suspected initial choice for Senate President.
The coalition commanded three quarters of the body.
A similar move to create a coalition was made in the 24th Legislature, on the House side, without success.
as majority leader. Therriault remained the leader of the four member Republican minority.
In March 2009 Democratic Juneau Senator Kim Elton resigned to take a job in the Obama
administration. Juneau Democrats recommended House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula
to replace him, but Governor Sarah Palin
instead attempted to appoint three other people to the seat, all of whom were rejected by Senate Democrats. Eventually former Juneau mayor Dennis Egan emerged as a compromise choice, and Palin appointed him and he was confirmed on the last day of the 2009 legislative session.
After Palin's resignation, new Governor Sean Parnell
appointed Republican Minority Leader Gene Therriault
to his administration as an energy advisor. South Anchorage Republican Con Bunde replaced Therriault as minority leader and Parnell appointed North Pole representative John Coghill
to fill Therriault's seat and he was confirmed by the Senate Republicans and joined the minority caucus.
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
in the Alaska Legislature
Alaska Legislature
The Alaska Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is a bicameral institution, consisting of the lower Alaska House of Representatives, with 40 members, and the upper house Alaska Senate, with 20 members...
, the state legislature of the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
. The Senate consists of twenty members, each of whom represents an equal amount of districts with populations of about 31,347 people (2000 figures). Senators serve four-year terms, without term limits
Term limits in the United States
Term limits in the United States apply to many offices at both the federal and state level, and date back to the American Revolution.-Pre-constitution:...
. Half of the Alaska Senate is up for re-election every two years. With just twenty senators, the Alaska Senate is the smallest upper house legislative chamber in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Like other upper houses of state and territorial legislatures and the federal Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, the Senate can confirm or reject gubernatorial appointments to the state cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
, commissions and boards.
The Senate convenes at the State Capitol
Alaska State Capitol
The Alaska State Capitol is the state capital of Alaska. Located in the state capital of Juneau at the corner of East 4th Street and Main Street, it houses the Alaska Legislature and the offices for the governor of Alaska and lieutenant governor of Alaska....
in Juneau
Juneau, Alaska
The City and Borough of Juneau is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-District of Alaska was moved from Sitka as dictated by the U.S. Congress in 1900...
.
Current composition
| Affiliation | Party | Total | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coalition | Non-coalition | ||||
| Democratic Alaska Democratic Party -Introduction:The Alaska Democratic Party is the primary Democratic Party political organization in the state of Alaska, headquartered in Anchorage.... |
Republican | Vacant | |||
| End of previous legislature | 10 | 6 | 4 | 20 | 0 |
| Begin | 10 | 6 | 4 | 20 | 0 |
| Latest voting share | 80.0% | 20.0% | |||
Leadership
The President of the SenatePresident of the Senate
The President of the Senate is a title often given to the presiding officer of a senate, and is the speaker of other assemblies.The senate president often ranks high in a jurisdiction's succession for its top executive office: for example, the President of the Senate of Nigeria is second in line...
presides over the body, appointing members to all of the Senate's committees and joint committees, and may create other committees and subcommittees if desired. Unlike many other states, the Lieutenant Governor of Alaska does not preside over the Senate. Instead, the Lieutenant Governor oversees the Alaska Division of Elections, fulfilling the role of Secretary of State
Secretary of State (U.S. state government)
Secretary of State is an official in the state governments of 47 of the 50 states of the United States, as well as Puerto Rico and other U.S. possessions. In Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, and Virginia, this official is called the Secretary of the Commonwealth...
. Only two other states, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and Utah
Utah
Utah is a state in the Western United States. It was the 45th state to join the Union, on January 4, 1896. Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,763,885 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City. This leaves vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited, making the population the...
, have similar constitutional arrangements for their lieutenant governors. The other partisan Senate leadership positions, such as the Majority
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
and Minority
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
leaders, are (usually) elected by their respective party caucuses to head their parties in the chamber.
Current leadership
| Position | Name | Party | Residence | District |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| President President A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership... |
Gary Stevens Gary Stevens (Alaska politician) Gary Stevens is the President of the Alaska Senate. He is a Republican, representing the R District since his appointment in February 2003. He was previously a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 2000 through 2003. Stevens was selected on November 6, 2008, as Senate President for... |
Republican-Coalition | Kodiak Kodiak, Alaska Kodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island, Kodiak Island Borough, in the U.S. state of Alaska. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline... |
R |
| Majority Leader Majority leader In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the... |
Kevin Meyer | Republican-Coalition | Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States... |
O |
| Minority Leader Minority leader In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position... |
Charlie Huggins Charlie Huggins Charlie Huggins is a Republican member of the Alaska Senate, representing the H District since his appointment in 2004.-External links:* official government website* profile... |
Republican | Wasilla Wasilla, Alaska Wasilla is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, United States and the sixth-largest city in Alaska. It is located on the northern point of Cook Inlet in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of the southcentral part of the state. The city's population was 7,831 at the 2010 census... |
H |
Republican split
Shortly after the 2006 November election, a bi-partisan coalitionCoalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
was announced between all nine senate Democrats and six senate Republicans.
Democrats chaired the Judiciary, Health, Education, & Social Services, Labor and Commerce, Community and Regional Affairs, and Transportation Committees, and co-chaired the powerful Finance Committee. The senate Republicans in the coalition also had a co-chair for the Finance Committee (the minority Republicans were given only one seat on the committee), and chair the State Affairs, Resources, and Rules Committees.
Because of the Republican split, the Democrats controlled a majority of committee chairmanships while Republicans in the governing coalition chaired the others. In the beginning, the majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
was a Republican who had joined the bi-partisan coalition, and the minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
was head of the five-member Republican organization. Hence, all three listed officers of the body were Republicans, as different aspects are in the majority (with the chamber-wide minority Democrats) while others are in the official minority. Later on in the session a Democrat in the coalition took over as majority leader.
The split was largely viewed as over the senate presidency. The minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
was the Republicans' suspected initial choice for Senate President.
The coalition commanded three quarters of the body.
A similar move to create a coalition was made in the 24th Legislature, on the House side, without success.
After 2008 elections
After the 2008 elections, Senate Democrats picked up a seat, holding half of the districts. They joined with 6 Senate Republicans to form a new coalition with Republican Gary Stevens as Senate President and Democrat Johnny EllisJohnny Ellis
Johnny Ellis is a Democratic member of the Alaska Senate, representing District L since 1992. He currently serves as the Senate Majority Leader. Previously he was a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1986 through 1992....
as majority leader. Therriault remained the leader of the four member Republican minority.
In March 2009 Democratic Juneau Senator Kim Elton resigned to take a job in the Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
administration. Juneau Democrats recommended House Minority Leader Beth Kerttula
Beth Kerttula
Elizabeth J. "Beth" Kerttula is a Democratic member of the Alaska House of Representatives, representing the 3rd District since 1998. She has served as the House Minority Leader since 2006. She is the daughter of Jalmar M...
to replace him, but Governor Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin
Sarah Louise Palin is an American politician, commentator and author. As the Republican Party nominee for Vice President in the 2008 presidential election, she was the first Alaskan on the national ticket of a major party and first Republican woman nominated for the vice-presidency.She was...
instead attempted to appoint three other people to the seat, all of whom were rejected by Senate Democrats. Eventually former Juneau mayor Dennis Egan emerged as a compromise choice, and Palin appointed him and he was confirmed on the last day of the 2009 legislative session.
After Palin's resignation, new Governor Sean Parnell
Sean Parnell
Sean R. Parnell is an American Republican politician who is the tenth and current Governor of Alaska. He succeeded Sarah Palin following her resignation, and was sworn in at the Governor's Picnic in Fairbanks on July 26, 2009...
appointed Republican Minority Leader Gene Therriault
Gene Therriault
Gene Therriault was a Republican member of the Alaska Senate, representing the F district from 2000 to 2009. He most recently served as the Senate Minority Leader. Previously he was a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1992 through 2000....
to his administration as an energy advisor. South Anchorage Republican Con Bunde replaced Therriault as minority leader and Parnell appointed North Pole representative John Coghill
John Coghill
John Bruce Coghill, Jr. is a Republican member of the Alaska Senate, appointed to represent district F in 2009. He was first elected to the legislature as a state representative for district 32 in 1998...
to fill Therriault's seat and he was confirmed by the Senate Republicans and joined the minority caucus.
Members of the 27th Senate
| Rep-Coalition | Sitka | 2003 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Juneau Juneau, Alaska The City and Borough of Juneau is a unified municipality located on the Gastineau Channel in the panhandle of the U.S. state of Alaska. It has been the capital of Alaska since 1906, when the government of the then-District of Alaska was moved from Sitka as dictated by the U.S. Congress in 1900... |
2009 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Angoon Angoon, Alaska Angoon is a city on Admiralty Island in Hoonah-Angoon Census Area, Alaska, United States. At the 2000 census the population was 572, by the 2010 census the population had declined to 459... |
2005 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Fairbanks Fairbanks, Alaska Fairbanks is a home rule city in and the borough seat of the Fairbanks North Star Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska.Fairbanks is the largest city in the Interior region of Alaska, and second largest in the state behind Anchorage... |
2007 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Fairbanks | 2009 | >- | Republican | North Pole North Pole, Alaska North Pole is a small city in the Fairbanks North Star Borough, Alaska, United States. It is part of the Fairbanks, Alaska metropolitan statistical area. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated its population as of July 1, 2009 at 2,226. The name "North Pole" is often applied to the entire area covered... |
2009 | >- | Rep-Coalition | Wasilla Wasilla, Alaska Wasilla is a city in Matanuska-Susitna Borough, United States and the sixth-largest city in Alaska. It is located on the northern point of Cook Inlet in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley of the southcentral part of the state. The city's population was 7,831 at the 2010 census... |
2009 | >- | Republican | Wasilla | 2004 | >- | Republican | Eagle River Eagle River, Alaska Eagle River is a community within the Municipality of Anchorage situated on the Eagle River for which it is named, between Fort Richardson and Chugach State Park in the Chugach Mountains. Its ZIP code is 99577... |
2003 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Anchorage Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage is a unified home rule municipality in the southcentral part of the U.S. state of Alaska. It is the northernmost major city in the United States... |
2007 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Anchorage | 2001 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Anchorage | 1993 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Anchorage | 2003 | >- | Rep-Coalition | Anchorage | 2007 | >- | Rep-Coalition | Anchorage | 2009 | >- | Republican | Anchorage | 2011 | >- | Rep-Coalition | Kenai Kenai, Alaska Kenai is a city in Kenai Peninsula Borough in the U.S. state of Alaska. According to 2005 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 7,464... |
2003 | >- | Rep-Coalition | Kodiak Kodiak, Alaska Kodiak is one of 7 communities and the main city on Kodiak Island, Kodiak Island Borough, in the U.S. state of Alaska. All commercial transportation between the entire island and the outside world goes through this city either via ferryboat or airline... |
2003 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Bethel Bethel, Alaska Bethel is a city located near the west coast of the U.S. state of Alaska, west of Anchorage. Accessible only by air and river, Bethel is the main port on the Kuskokwim River and is an administrative and transportation hub for the 56 villages in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.Bethel is the largest... |
1995 | >- | Dem-Coalition | Nome Nome, Alaska Nome is a city in the Nome Census Area in the Unorganized Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska, located on the southern Seward Peninsula coast on Norton Sound of the Bering Sea. According to the 2010 Census, the city population was 3,598. Nome was incorporated on April 9, 1901, and was once the... |
2001 |
See also
- Alaska State CapitolAlaska State CapitolThe Alaska State Capitol is the state capital of Alaska. Located in the state capital of Juneau at the corner of East 4th Street and Main Street, it houses the Alaska Legislature and the offices for the governor of Alaska and lieutenant governor of Alaska....
- List of Alaska State Legislatures
- 26th Alaska State Legislature26th Alaska State LegislatureThe 26th Alaska State Legislature was elected in November 2008.-Sessions:* First session: January 20, 2009–May 19, 2009* Special session: August 10, 2009* Second session: January 19, 2010–April 18, 2010...
(2009–2011), the preceding legislature
- 26th Alaska State Legislature
- Alaska political corruption probe
External links
- Alaska State Senate official government website
- Project Vote Smart - State Senate of Alaska