Bethel is a city in the U.S. state of Alaska,located on the Kuskokwim River approximately 50 miles (80 km) from where the river flows into Kuskokwim Bay. It is the largest community in western Alaska and in the Unorganized Borough and the eighth-largest in the state. Bethel has a population of 6,325 as of the 2020 census,up from 6,080 in 2010.
Donald Edwin Young was an American politician from Alaska. He is the longest-serving Republican in House history,having been the U.S. representative for the state's at-large congressional district for 49 years,from 1973 until his death in 2022.
Mark Peter Begich is an American politician and lobbyist who served as a United States senator from Alaska from 2009 to 2015. A member of the Democratic Party,he served as mayor of Anchorage from 2003 to 2009.
The 2008 United States Senate election in Alaska was held on November 4,2008. Incumbent Republican U.S. Senator and former President pro tempore Ted Stevens ran for re-election for an eighth term in the United States Senate. It was one of the ten Senate races that U.S. Senator John Ensign of Nevada,the chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee,predicted as being most competitive. The primaries were held on August 26,2008. Stevens was challenged by Democratic candidate Mark Begich,the mayor of Anchorage and son of former U.S. Representative Nick Begich.
Lyman F. Hoffman is a Yup'ik politician and Democratic member of the Alaska Senate since 1995. He represents the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta,Alaska Peninsula,and Aleutian Islands. He also served in the Senate from 1991 to 1993 previously,and was a member of the Alaska House of Representatives from 1987−91 and 1993−95.
Mary Sattler Peltola is an American politician and former tribal judge serving as the U.S. representative from Alaska's at-large congressional district since September 2022. A member of the Democratic Party,she previously served as a judge on the Orutsararmiut Native Council's tribal court,executive director of the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission,Bethel city councilor,and member of the Alaska House of Representatives.
Rita Pitka Blumenstein was the first certified traditional doctor in Alaska. She worked for the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Blumenstein was a member of the International Council of 13 Indigenous Grandmothers—a group of spiritual elders,medicine women and wisdom keepers—since its founding in 2004.
The 2014 United States Senate election in Alaska took place on November 4,2014,to elect a member of the United States Senate to represent the State of Alaska,concurrently with the election of the governor of Alaska,as well as other elections to the United States Senate in other states and elections to the United States House of Representatives and various state and local elections.
Sam Kito III is an American politician from Alaska. A Democrat,he served in the Alaska House of Representatives as a representative from Juneau from 2014 to 2019.
Zach Fansler is an American politician. He served on the Bethel City Council from 2014 to 2016,and in the Alaska House of Representatives from the 38th District from 2017 to 2018. He was first elected to the House in 2016,defeating Majority Whip Bob Herron in the Democratic primary. Fansler resigned on February 12,2018,due to allegations of assault.
Valerie Nurr'araaluk Davidson is an American politician who briefly served as the 13th lieutenant governor of Alaska,from October to December 2018. She was sworn in after Byron Mallott's abrupt resignation from the post on October 16,2018. In April 2020,Davidson became the 12th president of Alaska Pacific University,the first woman to serve as the university's president. She took a leave of absence from Alaska Pacific University to become interim president of the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium in March 2021. Her presidency of the Consortium became permanent in June of the same year and she resigned from Alaska Pacific University at that time. Davidson later became CEO of the Consortium as well. She left the Consortium in May 2024.
The 2021 United States elections were held in large part on Tuesday,November 2,2021. This off-year election included the regular gubernatorial elections in New Jersey and Virginia. In addition,state legislative elections were held for the New Jersey Legislature and Virginia House of Delegates,along with numerous state legislative special elections,citizen initiatives,mayoral races,and a variety of other local elections. Six special elections to the United States House of Representatives also took place on November 2 or earlier as a result of either deaths or vacancies. The first of these was held on March 20.
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 November 2022 United States House of Representatives election in Alaska was held on Tuesday,November 8,to elect a member of the United States House of Representatives to represent the state of Alaska. Democratic incumbent Mary Peltola won reelection to a full term in office,defeating Republicans Sarah Palin and Nick Begich III and Libertarian Chris Bye in the runoff count.
The 31st Alaska State Legislature represented the legislative branch of Alaska's state government from January 15,2019,to January 18,2021. Its initial 60-person membership was set by the 2018 Alaska elections,though two members subsequently died in office and two resigned their seats,requiring replacements appointed by Alaska governor Mike Dunleavy.
Orutsararmiut Traditional Native Council (ONC) is the largest tribe in the Bethel,Alaska region. It is a federally recognized tribe and a governing body for the community of Bethel,Alaska.
The 2022 Alaska state elections took place on November 8,2022. The state also held Regional Educational Attendance Area (REAA) elections on the first Tuesday in October.
Eugene R. "Buzzy" Peltola Jr. was an American public servant and naturalist who served as Alaska director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs and manager of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge. He was the husband of Congresswoman Mary Peltola. Peltola died as the result of a plane crash in September 2023.
Nellie Darlene Jimmie is an American politician and community leader serving as a member-elect of the Alaska House of Representatives for district 38. She previously operated a local business and was a representative on the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative board for Toksook Bay,Alaska.
