Alaska Territory's at-large congressional district

Alaska Territory's at-large congressional district (also District of Alaska's at-large congressional district) was a congressional district created in 1906 to represent the District of Alaska, which was reorganized into the Alaska Territory in 1912. After Alaska's admission to the Union as the 49th state by act of Congress on January 3, 1959, this district evolved into Alaska's at-large congressional district.

Alaska Territory's at-large congressional district
Obsolete district
Created1906, as a non-voting delegate was granted by Congress
Eliminated1959, as a result of statehood
Years active1906–1959
Alaska Territory, 1912–1959

In the years following the Alaska Purchase, Alaskans held a series of political conventions focused on sending a representative to the U.S. Congress. The purpose was to lobby mainly for representation in the body, in similar fashion to the later application of the Tennessee Act to lobby for Alaskan statehood, but also for greater autonomy for Alaska. The first convention, held in 1881, saw a non-partisan group send a Democrat (M. D. Ball) to Washington, who worked with a Republican senator (Benjamin Harrison) to craft the organic act which created the District of Alaska. Ball and several subsequent individuals were unable to convince Congress to grant the District a delegate, however. Events changed as the population of Alaska increased around the turn of the 20th century, mainly on account of immigration due to gold rushes.

On May 7, 1906, an act of Congress gave the District of Alaska the authority to elect a Congressional delegate.[1][2][3] On August 24, 1912, the District of Alaska was reorganized into an organized incorporated territory and continued to elect delegates until Alaska became a state in 1959.[1]

List of delegates representing the district

DelegatePartyYearsCong
ress
Electoral history
District created May 7, 1906
VacantMay 7, 1906 –
August 14, 1906
59th

Frank Hinman Waskey
(Nome)
Democratic[a]August 14, 1906 –
March 3, 1907
Elected in 1906.
Retired.

Thomas Cale
(Fairbanks)
IndependentMarch 4, 1907 –
March 3, 1909
60thElected in 1906.
Retired.

James Wickersham
(Fairbanks)
RepublicanMarch 4, 1909 –
March 3, 1917
61st
62nd
63rd
64th
Elected in 1908.
Re-elected in 1910.
Re-elected in 1912.
Re-elected in 1914.
Lost re-election.

Charles August Sulzer
(Sulzer)
DemocraticMarch 4, 1917 –
January 7, 1919
65thElected in 1916.
Lost election contest.

James Wickersham
(Fairbanks)
RepublicanJanuary 7, 1919 –
March 3, 1919
Won election contest.[5]
Lost re-election.

Charles August Sulzer
(Sulzer)
DemocraticMarch 4, 1919 –
April 28, 1919
66thElected in 1918.
Died.
VacantApril 28, 1919 –
July 1, 1919

George Barnes Grigsby
(Juneau)
DemocraticJuly 1, 1919 –
March 1, 1921
Elected June 5, 1919 to finish Sulzer's term
and seated July 1, 1919.[6][7]
Lost election contest.[8]

James Wickersham
(Fairbanks)
RepublicanMarch 1, 1921 –
March 3, 1921
Won election contest.[8]
Retired.

Daniel Sutherland
(Juneau)
RepublicanMarch 4, 1921 –
March 3, 1931
67th
68th
69th
70th
71st
Elected in 1920.[9]
Re-elected in 1922.
Re-elected in 1924.
Re-elected in 1926.
Re-elected in 1928.
Retired.

James Wickersham
(Juneau)
RepublicanMarch 4, 1931 –
March 3, 1933
72ndElected in 1930.[10]
Lost re-election.

Anthony Dimond
(Valdez)
DemocraticMarch 4, 1933 –
January 3, 1945
73rd
74th
75th
76th
77th
78th
Elected in 1932.
Re-elected in 1934.
Re-elected in 1936.
Re-elected in 1938.
Re-elected in 1940.
Re-elected in 1942.
Retired to become a state judge.

Bob Bartlett
(Juneau)
DemocraticJanuary 3, 1945 –
January 3, 1959
79th
80th
81st
82nd
83rd
84th
85th
Elected in 1944.
Elected in 1946.
Elected in 1948.
Elected in 1950.
Elected in 1952.
Elected in 1954.
Elected in 1956.
Ran for U.S. senator upon statehood.
District eliminated January 3, 1959

See also

Notes

References

External links

64°N 153°W / 64°N 153°W / 64; -153