Digital Bob Archive

Alaska's election laws have been tinkered with by the Legislature, Territorial and State, almost from the time it was given the power to amend them. Hardly anyone, apparently, liked the laws as they were written at any given time, and as a result there have been a multitude of changes over the years.

Possibly the many changes in the election laws have contributed to some of the wild swings in the political loyalties of Alaskans during the 80 years they have had the vote, but that would be difficult to prove. For one thing, those swings have generally been influenced by the winds of national politics.

The first general election law for Alaska was enacted by Congress in 1906 as part of the law that provided a Delegate in Congress for the District of Alaska. The enactment of that law happened to coincide with the moving of the seat of government from Sitka to Juneau.

Under the law of 1906 male citizens who were 21 or older could vote if they had been in Alaska for a year. In incorporated towns, the City Councils were in charge of the election, including the appointment of judges and clerks. Outside the municipalities, the U.S. Commissioner in each recording district was in charge and could create such election precincts as he thought were required. Election day in Alaska was the second Tuesday of August in even-numbered years.

Alaska's first general election, on August 14, 1906 brought a profound shift in its political center. Ever since the creation of a civil government in 1884, Southeastern Alaska had dominated such political activity as existed. The first three governors had been appointed from outside Alaska, but the fourth was from Wrangell, the fifth was from Sitka and the sixth, who took office just days before the 1906 law was enacted, was from Juneau.

It was a dual election in 1906; one candidate for what was left of the 59th Congress; one for a full term in the 60th Congress. The same man could run for both. In nominating conventions, the Democrats put up A.P. Swineford, Ketchikan editor and former governor, for the short term; Henry W. Mellen, a Juneau lawyer, mine owner and brother-in-law of newly appointed Governor Hoggatt, for the long term. The Republicans picked a Nome lawyer, C.D. Murane, for both terms.

During the previous 10 years a series of gold discoveries had attracted many men to the North and the Miners' Union was strong at both Fairbanks and Nome. At Fairbanks the miners picked Thomas Cale for the short term, while Nome selected Frank H. Was key for the full term. Both would run as Labor candidates.

The two Labor candidates swept the field, the Republican running a poor second in each race and the two Democrats an even poorer third. The political center of Alaska had shifted north-westward.

[Note: This is the first of a series on Alaska election laws and elections.]