Alaska's at-large congressional district

Last updated

Alaska's at-large congressional district
AK01 109.png
Representative
Area665,384.04 [1]  sq mi (1,723,336.8 km2)
Distribution
  • 65.7% urban [2]
  • 34.3% rural
Population (2022)733,583 [3]
Median household
income
$88,121 [4]
Ethnicity
Cook PVI 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.

Contents

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 and was the longest serving Republican in the history of the House and was the most notable person to represent the district. 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 2024, 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
Unaffiliated 338,93156.52%
Republican 149,17324.87%
Democratic 81,35513.57%
Alaskan Independence 19,1093.19%
Minor parties 11,1361.85%
Total599,704100%

Recent statewide election results

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

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

List of members representing the district

Representative
(Residence)
PartyTermCong
ress
Electoral history
District created January 3, 1959
Ralph Julian Rivers.jpg
Ralph Rivers
(Fairbanks)
Democratic January 3, 1959 –
December 30, 1966
86th
87th
88th
89th
Elected in 1958.
Re-elected in 1960.
Re-elected in 1962.
Re-elected in 1964.
Lost re-election, then resigned early.
VacantDecember 30, 1966 –
January 3, 1967
89th
Howard Wallace Pollock.jpg
Howard Pollock
(Anchorage)
Republican January 3, 1967 –
January 3, 1971
90th
91st
Elected in 1966.
Re-elected in 1968.
Retired to run for Governor of Alaska.
Nick Begich.jpg
Nick Begich
(Anchorage)
Democratic January 3, 1971 –
December 29, 1972
92nd Elected in 1970.
Went missing October 16, 1972.
Re-elected posthumously in 1972.
Declared dead December 29, 1972.
VacantDecember 29, 1972 –
March 6, 1973
92nd
93rd
Don Young, official 115th Congress photo portrait.jpg
Don Young
(Fort Yukon)
Republican March 6, 1973 –
March 18, 2022
93rd
94th
95th
96th
97th
98th
99th
100th
101st
102nd
103rd
104th
105th
106th
107th
108th
109th
110th
111th
112th
113th
114th
115th
116th
117th
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
117th
Mary Peltola Congressional Member Portrait (2).jpeg
Mary Peltola
(Bethel)
Democratic September 13, 2022 –
present
117th
118th
Elected to finish Young's term.
Re-elected in 2022.

Electoral history

1958 to 2010

YearRepublicanDemocraticGreenLibertarianOthersWrite-in [7]
CandidateVotesPctCandidateVotesPctCandidateVotesPctCandidateVotesPctCandidateVotesPctVotesPct
1958 Henry A. Benson 20,699 Ralph Rivers 27,948
1960 R. L. Rettig 25,517Ralph Rivers (Incumbent)33,546
1962 Lowell Thomas Jr. 26,638Ralph Rivers (Incumbent)33,953
1964 Lowell Thomas Jr. 32,556Ralph Rivers (Incumbent)34,590
1966 Howard W. Pollock 34,040Ralph Rivers (Incumbent)31,867
1968 Howard W. Pollock (Incumbent)43,577 Nick Begich 36,785
1970 Frank Murkowski 35,947Nick Begich44,137
1972 Don Young 41,750Nick Begich (Incumbent)53,651
1973 Don Young35,044 Emil Notti 33,123
1974 Don Young (Incumbent)51,641 William L. Hensley 44,280
1976 Don Young (Incumbent)83,722 Eben Hopson 34,194292
1978 Don Young (Incumbent)68,811Patrick Rodey55,176200
1980 Don Young (Incumbent)114,089Kevin Parnell39,922607
1982 Don Young (Incumbent)128,274Dave Carlson52,011799
1984 Don Young (Incumbent)113,582 Pegge Begich 86,052Betty Breck (I)6,508295
1986 Don Young (Incumbent)101,799Pegge Begich74,053Betty Breck4,182243
1988 Don Young (Incumbent)120,595Peter Gruenstein71,881479
1990 Don Young (Incumbent)99,003John S. Devens91,677967
1992 Don Young (Incumbent)111,849John S. Devens102,378Mike Milligan9,529Michael States (AI)15,049311
1994 Don Young (Incumbent)118,537Tony Smith68,172Joni Whitmore21,277254
1996 Don Young (Incumbent)138,834 Georgianna Lincoln 85,114John J. G. Grames4,513William J. Nemec II (AI)5,017222
1998 Don Young (Incumbent)139,676 Jim Duncan 77,232John J. G. Grames5,923469
2000 Don Young (Incumbent)190,862Clifford Mark Greene45,372Anna C. Young22,440Leonard J. Karpinski4,802Jim Dore (AI)10,085832
2002 Don Young (Incumbent)169,685Clifford Mark Greene39,357Russell deForest14,435Rob Clift3,797291
2004 Don Young (Incumbent)213,216Thomas M. Higgins67,074Timothy A. Feller11,434Alvin A. Anders7,1571,115
2006 Don Young (Incumbent)132,743 Diane E. Benson 93,879Eva Ince1,819Alexander Crawford4,029William Ratigan1,615560
2008 Don Young (Incumbent)158,939 Ethan Berkowitz 142,560 Don Wright 14,2741,205
2010 Don Young (Incumbent)175,384 Harry Crawford 77,6061,345
YearRepublicanDemocraticGreenLibertarianOthersWrite-in

Source: "Election Statistics". Office of the Clerk of the House of Representatives. Archived from the original on July 30, 2008. Retrieved August 8, 2008.

2012

2012 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Don Young (incumbent) 185,296 63.94 −5.02
Democratic Sharon Cissna 82,92728.62−1.89
Libertarian Jim McDermott15,0285.19+5.19
Independent Ted Gianoutsos5,5891.93+1.93
Independent Write-in votes9640.33−0.20
Republican hold Swing
Turnout 289,804

2014

2014 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Don Young (incumbent) 142,260 50.95 −12.99
Democratic Forrest Dunbar 114,31740.94+12.32
Libertarian Jim McDermott21,3737.65+2.46
Independent Write-in votes1,2690.45+0.12
Republican hold Swing
Turnout 279,219

2016

2016 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Don Young (incumbent) 155,088 50.32 −0.63
Democratic Steve Lindbeck111,01936.02−4.92
Libertarian Jim McDermott31,77010.31+2.66
Independent Bernie Souphanavong9,0932.95+2.95
Independent Write-in votes1,2280.40−0.05
Republican hold Swing
Turnout 308,198

2018

2018 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska [8]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Don Young (incumbent) 149,779 53.08 +2.76%
Independent Alyse S. Galvin [lower-alpha 1] 131,19946.50+10.48%
Write-in 1,1880.42+0.02%
Total votes282,166 100 N/A

2020

2020 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska [9]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Don Young (incumbent) 192,126 54.40 +1.32%
Independent Alyse S. Galvin [lower-alpha 1] 159,85645.26−1.24%
Write-in 1,1830.34−0.08%
Total votes353,165 100 N/A

2022 special

2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district special election
PartyCandidateRound 1Round 2
Votes %TransferVotes %
Democratic Mary Peltola 74,80739.66%+16,39991,20651.47%
Republican Sarah Palin 58,32830.93%+27,65985,98748.53%
Republican Nick Begich III 52,50427.84%-52,504Eliminated
Write-in 2,9711.58%-2,971Eliminated
Total votes188,610100.00%177,19394.29%
Inactive ballots 00.00%+10,72610,7265.71%
Democratic gain from Republican

2022

2022 Alaska's at-large congressional district election [10]
PartyCandidateRound 1Round 2Round 3
Votes %TransferVotes %TransferVotes %
Democratic Mary Peltola (incumbent)128,32948.68%+1,038129,43349.20%+7,460136,89354.94%
Republican Sarah Palin 67,73225.74%+1,06469,24226.32%+43,013112,25545.06%
Republican Nick Begich III 61,43123.34%+1,98864,39224.48%-64,392Eliminated
Libertarian Chris Bye4,5601.73%-4,560Eliminated
Write-in 1,0960.42%-1,096Eliminated
Total votes263,148100.00%263,067100.00%249,148100.00%
Inactive ballots 2,1930.83%+9063,0971.16%+14,76517,0165.55%
Democratic hold

Notes

  1. 1 2 Also listed as having the Democratic nomination.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas's 13th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Texas

Texas's 13th congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Texas that includes most of the Texas Panhandle, parts of Texoma and northwestern parts of North Texas. The principal cities in the district are Amarillo, Gainesville and Wichita Falls. It winds across the Panhandle into the South Plains, then runs east across the Red River Valley. Covering over 40,000 square miles (100,000 km2), it is the 19th-largest district by area in the nation, the 14th-largest that does not cover an entire state, as well as the second-largest in Texas behind the 23rd congressional district. After the 2020 census was completed, the 13th district was heavily redrawn to incorporate Denton, an increasingly Democratic-leaning suburb of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex which had previously anchored the 26th district. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+26, it is one of the most Republican districts in Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Texas's 17th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Texas

Texas's 17th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives includes a strip of Central Texas and Deep East Texas stretching from Nacogdoches to Waco and Round Rock, including former President George W. Bush's McLennan County ranch. The district is currently represented by Republican Pete Sessions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina's 2nd congressional district</span> U.S. House district for South Carolina

South Carolina's 2nd congressional district is in central and southwestern South Carolina. The district spans from Columbia to the South Carolina side of the Augusta, Georgia metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland's 6th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Maryland

Maryland's 6th congressional district elects a representative to the United States House of Representatives from the northwest part of the state. The district comprises all of Garrett, Allegany, Frederick, and Washington counties as well as a portion of Montgomery County. David Trone (D) is its current representative.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Iowa's 1st congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Iowa

Iowa's 1st congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Iowa that covers its southeastern part, bordering the states of Illinois and Missouri, and the Mississippi River. The district includes the cities of Davenport, Iowa City, Burlington, and Indianola. Republican Mariannette Miller-Meeks is the current U.S. representative. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+3, it is one of the least Republican districts in Iowa, a state with an all-Republican congressional delegation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maryland's 7th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Maryland

Maryland's 7th congressional district of the United States House of Representatives encompasses almost the entire city of Baltimore and some of Baltimore County. The district was created following the census of 1790, which gave Maryland one additional representative in the House. It was abolished in 1843 but was restored in 1950 as a west Baltimore district. It has been drawn as a majority-African American district since 1973. Democrat Kweisi Mfume is the current representative, winning a special election on April 28, 2020, to finish the term of Elijah Cummings, who died in October 2019. Mfume had previously held the seat from 1987 to 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kentucky's 3rd congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Kentucky

Kentucky's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It encompasses almost all of Louisville Metro, which, since the merger of 2003, is consolidated with Jefferson County, though other incorporated cities exist within the county, such as Shively and St. Matthews. The far eastern portions of Louisville Metro are part of the 2nd congressional district.

Tennessee's 1st congressional district is the congressional district of northeast Tennessee, including all of Carter, Cocke, Greene, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Johnson, Sullivan, Unicoi, Washington, and Sevier counties and parts of Jefferson County. It is largely coextensive with the Tennessee portion of the Tri-Cities region of northeast Tennessee and southwest Virginia. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+30, it is the most Republican district in Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kentucky's 2nd congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Kentucky

Kentucky's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Located in west central Kentucky, the district includes Bowling Green, Owensboro, Elizabethtown, and a portion of eastern Louisville. The district has not seen an incumbent defeated since 1884.

Tennessee's 9th congressional district is a congressional district in West Tennessee. It has been represented by Democrat Steve Cohen since 2007.

New York's 15th congressional district for the United States House of Representatives is located in New York City, State of New York. The district has been represented by Democrat Ritchie Torres since 2021. It is the poorest congressional district in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina's 3rd congressional district</span> U.S. House district for South Carolina

South Carolina's 3rd congressional district is a congressional district in western South Carolina bordering both Georgia and North Carolina. It includes all of Abbeville, Anderson, Edgefield, Greenwood, Laurens, McCormick, Oconee, Pickens, and Saluda counties and portions of Greenville and Newberry counties. The district is mostly rural, but much of the economy revolves around the manufacturing centers of Anderson and Greenwood. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+21, it is the most Republican district in South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina's 5th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for South Carolina

South Carolina's 5th congressional district is a congressional district in northern South Carolina bordering North Carolina. The district includes all of Cherokee, Chester, Fairfield, Kershaw, Lancaster, Lee, Union and York counties and parts of Newberry, Spartanburg and Sumter counties. The bulk of its population lives on the South Carolina side of the Charlotte metropolitan area, including the rapidly growing cities of Rock Hill, Fort Mill, and Lake Wylie. Outside the Charlotte suburbs, the district is mostly rural and agricultural. The district borders were contracted from some of the easternmost counties in the 2012 redistricting.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina's 6th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for South Carolina

South Carolina's 6th congressional district is in central and eastern South Carolina. It includes all of Allendale, Bamberg, Calhoun, Clarendon, Hampton, and Williamsburg counties and parts of Charleston, Colleton, Dorchester, Florence, Jasper, Orangeburg, Richland and Sumter counties. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+14, it is the only Democratic district in South Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Carolina's 7th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for South Carolina

South Carolina's 7th congressional district is a congressional district for the United States House of Representatives in South Carolina, established in 2011 following apportionment of another seat to the state in the redistricting cycle following the 2010 census. It is located in the Pee Dee region, and includes all of Chesterfield, Darlington, Dillon, Georgetown, Horry, Marion, and Marlboro Counties and most of Florence County. The district is represented by Republican Russell Fry who was elected in 2022 and took office on January 3, 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Arkansas's 2nd congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Arkansas

Arkansas's 2nd congressional district is a congressional district located in the central part of the U.S. state of Arkansas and includes most of the state capital of Little Rock, its suburbs, and surrounding areas. The district leans Republican, with a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+9. However, due to the influence of heavily Democratic Little Rock, it is still considered the least Republican congressional district in Arkansas, which has an all-Republican congressional delegation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oregon's 3rd congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Oregon

Oregon's 3rd congressional district covers most of Multnomah County, including Gresham, Troutdale, and most of Portland east of the Willamette River. It also includes the northeastern part of Clackamas County and all of Hood River County.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Virginia's 10th congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Virginia

Virginia's 10th congressional district is a U.S. congressional district in the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is represented by Democrat Jennifer Wexton, who was first elected in 2018.

Missouri's 1st congressional district is in the eastern portion of the state. It includes all of St. Louis City and much of northern St. Louis County, including the cities of Maryland Heights, University City, Ferguson and Florissant. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of D+27, it is the most Democratic district in Missouri. Roughly half of the district's population is African American.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district</span> U.S. House district for Oklahoma

Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district is one of five United States congressional districts in Oklahoma and covers approximately one-fourth of the state in the east. The district borders Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas and includes a total of 24 counties. With a Cook Partisan Voting Index rating of R+29, it is the most Republican district in Oklahoma, a state with an all-Republican congressional delegation.

References

  1. Census data 2010census.gov Archived October 19, 2012, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Congressional Districts". proximityone.com. Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  3. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  4. Center for New Media & Promotion (CNMP), US Census Bureau. "My Congressional District". www.census.gov. Retrieved October 5, 2023.
  5. 1 2 "Introducing the 2022 Cook Political Report Partisan Voter Index". The Cook Political Report. June 8, 2022. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
  6. "Alaska Voter Registration by Party/Precinct" . Retrieved 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. Johnson, Cheryl L. (February 28, 2019). "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 6, 2018". Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives . Retrieved April 27, 2019.
  9. "State of Alaska 2020 General Election" (PDF). Alaska Division of Elections. November 3, 2020. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  10. "RCV Detailed Report | General Election | State of Alaska" (PDF). Alaska Division of Elections. November 23, 2022. Retrieved November 23, 2022.

64°N153°W / 64°N 153°W / 64; -153