Alaska's at-large congressional district explained

State:Alaska
District Number:AL
Image Name:AK01_109.png
Image Width:300
Representative:Mary Peltola
Party:Democratic
Residence:Bethel
English Area:665,384.04[1]
Distribution Ref:[2]
Percent Urban:65.7
Percent Rural:34.3
Population:733,583[3]
Population Year:2022
Median Income:$88,121[4]
Percent White:57.5
Percent Hispanic:6.8
Percent Black:2.8
Percent Asian:5.9
Percent Native American:14.8 (includes Alaska Native)
Percent Native Hawaiian:1.7
Percent More Than One Race:9.8
Percent Other Race:0.6
Cpvi:R+8[5]

Since becoming a U.S. state in 1959, Alaska has been entitled to one member in the United States House of Representatives. The representative is elected at-large, because the state has only one congressional district, encompassing its entire territory. By area, Alaska's congressional district is the largest congressional district in the United States and the third-largest electoral district represented by a single member in the world. It is exceeded by Yakutsk district in Russia, which is similar in size to India and is the largest, and Nunavut, which comprises a single electoral district in Canada.

On August 31, 2022, Democrat Mary Peltola defeated Republican former governor Sarah Palin in the special election to replace Don Young, who died on March 18 of the same year. Peltola became the first Democrat elected to the House of Representatives from Alaska since 1972, and the first Alaska Native in history to be elected to the United States House of Representatives.

As of, the state comprises the most Republican-leaning congressional district to be represented by a Democrat. It has a partisan lean of R+8.[5]

History

The district was created when Alaska achieved statehood on January 3, 1959. Given the growth of population across the nation, Alaska is still entitled to only one seat in the House of Representatives.

Voter registration

Voter registration as of January 3, 2021[6]
PartyTotal votersPercentage
Unaffiliatedalign=center 338,931align=center 56.52%
Republicanalign=center 149,173align=center 24.87%
Democraticalign=center 81,355align=center 13.57%
Alaskan Independencealign=center 19,109align=center 3.19%
Minor partiesalign=center 11,136align=center 1.85%
Totalalign=center 599,704align=center 100%

Recent statewide election results

Because Alaska has always had only one congressional district, these are the same as the presidential election results.

YearOfficeResults
1960PresidentRichard Nixon 51% – John F. Kennedy 49%
1964PresidentLyndon B. Johnson 66% – Barry Goldwater 34%
1968PresidentRichard Nixon 45% – Hubert Humphrey 43%
1972PresidentRichard Nixon 58% – George McGovern 35%
1976PresidentGerald Ford 58% – Jimmy Carter 36%
1980PresidentRonald Reagan 54% – Jimmy Carter 26%
1984PresidentRonald Reagan 67% – Walter Mondale 30%
1988PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush 60% – Michael Dukakis 36%
1992PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush 39% – Bill Clinton 30%
1996PresidentBob Dole 51% – Bill Clinton 33%
2000PresidentGeorge W. Bush 59% – Al Gore 28%
2004PresidentGeorge W. Bush 61% – John Kerry 36%
2008PresidentJohn McCain 59% – Barack Obama 38%
2012PresidentMitt Romney 55% – Barack Obama 41%
2016PresidentDonald Trump 51% – Hillary Clinton 37%
2020PresidentDonald Trump 53% – Joe Biden 43%

List of members representing the district

Representative
PartyTermCong
ress		Electoral history
District created January 3, 1959
align=left
Ralph Julian Rivers
Democraticnowrap January 3, 1959 –
December 30, 1966		Elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Lost re-election, then resigned early.
Vacantnowrap December 30, 1966 –
January 3, 1967
align=left
Howard Wallace Pollock
Republicannowrap January 3, 1967 –
January 3, 1971		Elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Retired to run for Governor of Alaska.
align=left
Nick Begich
Democraticnowrap January 3, 1971 –
December 29, 1972		Elected in 1970.
Went missing October 16, 1972.
Re-elected posthumously in 1972.
Declared dead December 29, 1972.
Vacantnowrap December 29, 1972 –
March 6, 1973
align=left
Don Young
Republicannowrap March 6, 1973 –
March 18, 2022		Elected to finish Begich's term.
Re-elected in 1974.
Re-elected in 1976.
Re-elected in 1978.
Re-elected in 1980.
Re-elected in 1982.
Re-elected in 1984.
Re-elected in 1986.
Re-elected in 1988.
Re-elected in 1990.
Re-elected in 1992.
Re-elected in 1994.
Re-elected in 1996.
Re-elected in 1998.
Re-elected in 2000.
Re-elected in 2002.
Re-elected in 2004.
Re-elected in 2006.
Re-elected in 2008.
Re-elected in 2010.
Re-elected in 2012.
Re-elected in 2014.
Re-elected in 2016.
Re-elected in 2018.
Re-elected in 2020.
Died.
VacantMarch 18, 2022 –
September 13, 2022
align=left
Mary Peltola
Democraticnowrap September 13, 2022 –
present		Elected to finish Young's term.
Re-elected in 2022.

Electoral history

1958 to 2010

YearRepublicanDemocraticGreenLibertarianOthersWrite-in[7]
CandidateVotesPctCandidateVotesPctCandidateVotesPctCandidateVotesPctCandidateVotesPctVotesPct
1958nowrap Henry A. Bensonalign=right 20,699 nowrap Ralph Riversalign=right 27,948
1960nowrap R. L. Rettigalign=right 25,517 nowrap Ralph Rivers (Incumbent)align=right 33,546
1962nowrap Lowell Thomas Jr.align=right 26,638 nowrap Ralph Rivers (Incumbent)align=right 33,953
1964nowrap Lowell Thomas Jr.align=right 32,556 nowrap Ralph Rivers (Incumbent)align=right 34,590
1966 nowrap Howard W. Pollockalign=right 34,040nowrap Ralph Rivers (Incumbent)align=right 31,867
1968 nowrap Howard W. Pollock (Incumbent)align=right 43,577nowrap Nick Begichalign=right 36,785
1970nowrap Frank Murkowskialign=right 35,947 nowrap Nick Begichalign=right 44,137
1972nowrap Don Youngalign=right 41,750 nowrap Nick Begich (Incumbent)align=right 53,651
1973 nowrap Don Youngalign=right 35,044nowrap Emil Nottialign=right 33,123
1974 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 51,641nowrap William L. Hensleyalign=right 44,280
1976 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 83,722nowrap Eben Hopsonalign=right 34,194align=right 292
1978 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 68,811nowrap Patrick Rodeyalign=right 55,176align=right 200
1980 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 114,089nowrap Kevin Parnellalign=right 39,922align=right 607
1982 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 128,274nowrap Dave Carlsonalign=right 52,011align=right 799
1984 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 113,582nowrap Pegge Begichalign=right 86,052nowrap Betty Breck (I)align=right 6,508align=right 295
1986 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 101,799nowrap Pegge Begichalign=right 74,053nowrap Betty Breckalign=right 4,182align=right 243
1988 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 120,595nowrap Peter Gruensteinalign=right 71,881align=right 479
1990 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 99,003nowrap John S. Devensalign=right 91,677align=right 967
1992 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 111,849nowrap John S. Devensalign=right 102,378nowrap Mike Milliganalign=right 9,529nowrap Michael States (AI)align=right 15,049align=right 311
1994 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 118,537nowrap Tony Smithalign=right 68,172nowrap Joni Whitmorealign=right 21,277align=right 254
1996 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 138,834nowrap Georgianna Lincolnalign=right 85,114nowrap John J. G. Gramesalign=right 4,513nowrap William J. Nemec II (AI)align=right 5,017align=right 222
1998 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 139,676nowrap Jim Duncanalign=right 77,232nowrap John J. G. Gramesalign=right 5,923align=right 469
2000 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 190,862nowrap Clifford Mark Greenealign=right 45,372nowrap Anna C. Youngalign=right 22,440nowrap Leonard J. Karpinskialign=right 4,802nowrap Jim Dore (AI)align=right 10,085align=right 832
2002 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 169,685nowrap Clifford Mark Greenealign=right 39,357nowrap Russell deForestalign=right 14,435nowrap Rob Cliftalign=right 3,797align=right 291
2004 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 213,216nowrap Thomas M. Higginsalign=right 67,074nowrap Timothy A. Felleralign=right 11,434nowrap Alvin A. Andersalign=right 7,157align=right 1,115
2006 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 132,743Diane E. Bensonalign=right 93,879Eva Incealign=right 1,819Alexander Crawfordalign=right 4,029William Ratiganalign=right 1,615align=right 560
2008 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 158,939Ethan Berkowitzalign=right 142,560Don Wrightalign=right 14,274align=right 1,205
2010 nowrap Don Young (Incumbent)align=right 175,384Harry Crawfordalign=right 77,606align=right 1,345
YearRepublicanDemocraticGreenLibertarianOthersWrite-in
Source: Web site: Election Statistics . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080730201058/http://clerk.house.gov/member_info/electionInfo/index.html . July 30, 2008 . August 8, 2008 . Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives.

2022 special

2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election
PartyCandidateRound 1Round 2
Votes%TransferVotes%
Democratic74,80739.66%+16,39991,20651.47%
Republican58,32830.93%+27,65985,98748.53%
Republican52,50427.84%-52,504Eliminated
Write-in2,9711.58%-2,971Eliminated
Total votes188,610100.00%177,19394.29%
Inactive ballots00.00%+10,72610,7265.71%
Democratic gain from Republican

2022

2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district election[8]
PartyCandidateRound 1Round 2Round 3
Votes%TransferVotes%TransferVotes%
Democratic (incumbent)128,32948.68%+1,038129,43349.20%+7,460136,89354.94%
Republican67,73225.74%+1,06469,24226.32%+43,013112,25545.06%
Republican61,43123.34%+1,98864,39224.48%-64,392Eliminated
Libertarian4,5601.73%-4,560Eliminated
Write-in1,0960.42%-1,096Eliminated
Total votes263,148100.00%263,067100.00%249,148100.00%
Inactive ballots2,1930.83%+9063,0971.16%+14,76517,0165.55%
Democratic hold

References

Notes and References

  1. https://www.census.gov/prod/cen2010/cph-2-1.pdf Census data 2010
  2. Web site: Congressional Districts . October 9, 2020 . proximityone.com.
  3. Web site: Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP) . US Census Bureau . My Congressional District . October 5, 2023 . www.census.gov . EN-US.
  4. Web site: Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP) . US Census Bureau . My Congressional District . October 5, 2023 . www.census.gov . EN-US.
  5. Web site: June 8, 2022 . Introducing the 2022 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index. June 12, 2022 . The Cook Political Report.
  6. Web site: Alaska Voter Registration by Party/Precinct. May 18, 2023.
  7. Prior to the 1976 election, official election returns released by the State of Alaska were typewritten rather than computer generated, and write-in votes were not included in published vote totals
  8. Web site: November 23, 2022 . RCV Detailed Report General Election State of Alaska . November 23, 2022 . Alaska Division of Elections.

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