Law and government

State government

The center of state government in Juneau. The large buildings in the background are, from left to right: the Court Plaza Building (known colloquially as the "Spam Can"), the State Office Building (behind), the Alaska Office Building, the John H. Dimond State Courthouse, and the Alaska State Capitol. Many of the smaller buildings in the foreground are also occupied by state government agencies.

Main article: Government of Alaska

Like all other U.S. states, Alaska is governed as a republic, with three branches of government: an executive branch consisting of the Governor of Alaska and the other independently elected constitutional officers; a legislative branch consisting of the Alaska House of Representatives and Alaska Senate; and a judicial branch consisting of the Alaska Supreme Court and lower courts.
The state of Alaska employs approximately 16,000 people statewide.^[95]
The Alaska Legislature consists of a 40-member House of Representatives and a 20-member Senate. Senators serve four-year terms and House members two. The Governor of Alaska serves four-year terms. The lieutenant governor runs separately from the governor in the primaries, but during the general election, the nominee for governor and nominee for lieutenant governor run together on the same ticket.
Alaska's court system has four levels: the Alaska Supreme Court, the Alaska Court of Appeals, the superior courts and the district courts.^[96] The superior and district courts are trial courts. Superior courts are courts of general jurisdiction, while district courts only hear certain types of cases, including misdemeanor criminal cases and civil cases valued up to $100,000.^[96]
The Supreme Court and the Court of Appeals are appellate courts. The Court of Appeals is required to hear appeals from certain lower-court decisions, including those regarding criminal prosecutions, juvenile delinquency, and habeas corpus.^[96] The Supreme Court hears civil appeals and may in its discretion hear criminal appeals.^[96]

State politics

Main article: Politics of Alaska

Further information: Political party strength in Alaska and Alaska political corruption probe

Gubernatorial election results^[97]

Year	Republican	Democratic
1958	39.4% 19,299	59.6% 29,189
1962	47.7% 27,054	52.3% 29,627
1966	50.0% 33,145	48.4% 32,065
1970	46.1% 37,264	52.4% 42,309
1974	47.7% 45,840	47.4% 45,553
1978	39.1% 49,580	20.2% 25,656
1982	37.1% 72,291	46.1% 89,918
1986	42.6% 76,515	47.3% 84,943
1990	26.2% 50,991	30.9% 60,201
1994	40.8% 87,157	41.1% 87,693
1998	17.9% 39,331	51.3% 112,879
2002	55.9% 129,279	40.7% 94,216
2006	48.3% 114,697	41.0% 97,238
2010	59.1% 151,318	37.7% 96,519
2014	45.9% 128,435	[a]

Although in its early years of statehood Alaska was a Democratic state, since the early 1970s it has been characterized as Republican-leaning.^[98] Local political communities have often worked on issues related to land use development, fishing, tourism, and individual rights. Alaska Natives, while organized in and around their communities, have been active within the Native corporations. These have been given ownership over large tracts of land, which require stewardship.
Alaska was formerly the only state in which possession of one ounce or less of marijuana in one's home was completely legal under state law, though the federal law remains in force.^[99]
The state has an independence movement favoring a vote on secession from the United States, with the Alaskan Independence Party.^[100]
Six Republicans and four Democrats have served as governor of Alaska. In addition, Republican Governor Wally Hickel was elected to the office for a second term in 1990 after leaving the Republican party and briefly joining the Alaskan Independence Party ticket just long enough to be reelected. He officially rejoined the Republican party in 1994.
Alaska's voter initiative making marijuana legal took effect 24 February 2015, placing Alaska alongside Colorado and Washington as the first three U.S. states where recreational marijuana is legal. The new law means people over age 21 can consume small amounts of pot — if they can find it. There is a rather lengthy and involved application process, per Alaska Measure 2 (2014).^[101] The first legal marijuana store opened in Valdez in October 2016.^[102]