Government of Alaska

The government of Alaska is the system of state government of Alaska, organized under the Alaska Constitution into executive, legislative and judicial branches. It is headed by an elected governor, a bicameral legislature of 60 members meeting in Juneau, and a unified, state-funded court system. Alongside it operate 19 organized boroughs, 144 cities and 246 federally recognized tribal governments [1][2].

Executive Branch

The governor is head of state and government and the senior official in the executive branch, leading state agencies such as the departments of Administration, Education and Early Development, Health and Social Services, and Transportation and Public Facilities. The governor and lieutenant governor run on a single ticket, and the constitution gives the governor more power than most state counterparts, including appointing heads of executive departments [1][2].

Legislative Branch

The legislature is bicameral and meets in the State Capitol in Juneau. The House has 40 members, elected from 40 districts, and the Senate has 20, elected from 20 districts lettered A to T [1]. See the entry on the Alaska State Legislature.

Judicial Branch

The Alaska Court System is unified, centrally administered and fully state-funded. The Alaska Supreme Court is the highest court, and its chief justice is the administrative head of the system. The Alaska Court of Appeals is a primary appellate court, superior courts are the main felony trial courts and district courts are the main misdemeanor trial courts [1]. Judges are chosen under the Missouri Plan [2].

Constitutional Basis

The structure comes from the Alaska Constitution, drafted in 1955–56 and in effect since statehood on January 3, 1959. Its initiative, referendum and recall provisions also give voters a direct role in lawmaking [2].

Local Government

Alaska has 19 boroughs and 144 cities. About 57.7 percent of the state’s land lies in the Unorganized Borough, which is administered directly by the state, and per the 2000 census it held about 13 percent of the population [1]. See the entry on boroughs and census areas.

Tribal Governments

Alaska has 246 federally recognized tribal governments and one federal Indian reservation [1].

Historical Background

Before statehood Alaska was governed as the District of Alaska and then, from 1912, as the Territory of Alaska, with a governor appointed by the president. The change to elected state government came in 1959 [2].

Courts in Detail

Alaska has four levels of state courts. District courts hear misdemeanors and civil cases below 0,000, superior courts are the main felony trial courts and also hear some appeals from district courts, and the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals are the appellate courts. The state is divided into four judicial districts. The Supreme Court has a chief justice and four associate justices, and the justices choose the chief justice from among themselves for a three-year term. The Court of Appeals, created in 1980, has three judges [3][4].

Judicial Selection

Alaska uses the Missouri Plan. The Alaska Judicial Council screens applicants, surveys members of the Alaska Bar Association and submits a list of qualified candidates, and the governor appoints a judge or justice from that list within 45 days. Judges later stand for nonpartisan retention votes, the first at the first statewide general election more than three years after appointment, and periodically afterward [4]. Magistrates are appointed by the presiding superior court judge of each judicial district and handle matters such as warrants, marriage licenses and preliminary criminal proceedings [4].

Elected Executives

Alaska elects only two executive officers, the governor and lieutenant governor, who serve four-year terms and run on one ticket. Other department heads, including the attorney general, are appointed [2][3].

Boroughs Instead of Counties

Alaska uses boroughs instead of counties. Local units include cities, boroughs and hundreds of unincorporated villages, each with different powers. The framers of the constitution aimed for maximum local self-government with a minimum of local government units [2][3].

Alaska Native Corporations and Reservations

Under the 1971 Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, 12 regional and 220 village Alaska Native corporations received 2 million and 44 million acres of federal land. The Metlakatla Indian Community on Annette Island is the state’s only reservation [3].

Education and Health

Schooling is compulsory and is run by local boards, while the state pays the full cost of schools in unincorporated areas and more than half the cost in incorporated cities. The University of Alaska, founded in 1917 as a land-grant institution, has campuses in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Juneau. The state funds many welfare programs, including the Pioneer Homes for senior citizens, and the federal government provides free medical care for Alaska Natives [3].

FAQs

What are the three branches of Alaska government? The executive (governor), legislative (House and Senate) and judicial (court system).

Where is the Alaska capital? Juneau.

How many boroughs does Alaska have? Nineteen organized boroughs, plus the Unorganized Borough.

How are Alaska judges chosen? Under the Missouri Plan, through nomination and retention votes.

How many tribal governments are in Alaska? 246 federally recognized tribal governments.

Sources

1. Wikipedia: Government of Alaska
2. Wikipedia: Constitution of Alaska
3. Encyclopaedia Britannica: Alaska, Government and society
4. Wikipedia: Judiciary of Alaska

Editorially reviewed by Specialty Digest Editorial TeamLast reviewed November 12, 2026Researched and drafted with AI assistanceReport an issue