Donald Olson | |
---|---|
Member of the Alaska Senate | |
Assumed office January 15, 2001 | |
Preceded by | Albert P. Adams |
Constituency | District S (2001–2003) District T (2003–present) |
Personal details | |
Born | Nome,Territory of Alaska | June 18,1953
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Willow |
Children | 7 |
Residence(s) | Golovin,Alaska,U.S. |
Alma mater | University of Minnesota (BA) Oral Roberts University (MD) University of Colorado Law School (JD) University of Cambridge |
Profession | Physician Aviator |
Donald C. "Donny" Olson (born June 18,1953) is an American physician,attorney,commercial pilot,reindeer herder,and politician,currently serving as a member of the Alaska Senate since 2001. Olson represents rural communities in Western Alaska and Arctic Alaska including Nome,Kotzebue,and Utqiagvik.
Olson was born in the Inupiat village of Golovin,Alaska,where he resides to date. He graduated from Covenant High School in Unalakleet, [1] attended Seattle Pacific College;then the University of Minnesota,Duluth,where he received a B.A. in Chemistry;attended the University of Alaska,Fairbanks;the Oral Roberts University School of Medicine in Tulsa,Oklahoma,where he received his M.D.,the University of Colorado School of Law for his Juris Doctor,and did postgraduate work in law at Cambridge University in England. [2]
He is the president and CEO of Olson Air Service,based in Nome,Alaska. [2]
He was appointed to the Alaska State Medical Board by Governor Tony Knowles in 1995 and served until taking office in the Alaska Senate in 2001. [3] He was the sole Democrat associated with the Alaska political corruption probe. He was the only Alaska legislator to reject a bribe offer to vote for an oil tax bill. It was proposed as a campaign contribution of $25,000 for his 2004 Lieutenant Governor's race. He subsequently helped the FBI make their case against those involved. [4]
Olson caucused with the Republicans in the majority during the 28th Senate,from 2013 to 2014,but he was not invited to participate in the organization of the majority caucus for the 29th Senate. He was currently a member of the Democratic minority caucus from 2015 to 2023. [5] He is currently a member of the 17-member bipartisan majority.
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The 2020 Alaska Senate elections took place as part of the biennial 2020 United States elections. Voters in Alaska elected state senators in 11 of the state's 20 senate districts –the usual ten plus one special election. State senators serve four-year terms in the Alaska Senate,with half seats up for election every two years. Primary elections on August 18,2020,determined which candidates appeared on the general election ballot on November 3,2020.
The 2022 Alaska Senate elections took place on November 8,2022,with the primary elections being held on August 16,2022. State senators serve four-year terms in the Alaska Senate,with half of the seats normally up for election every two years. However,because most districts were greatly changed in redistricting,elections were held for 19 of the 20 seats;the only exception is District T,represented by Democrat Donny Olson,which was mostly unchanged in redistricting and thus did not have an election. Some senators were elected to serve four-year terms,while others would serve shortened two-year terms.
Media related to Donny Olson at Wikimedia Commons