Alaska

Alaska has only one congressional district.

Alaska’s state legislative lines are drawn by a five-member independent commission, in place since 1998.  None of the commissioners may be public officials or employees when they are appointed to serve.  The Governor chooses two commissioners, the state Senate and House majority leaders each choose one, and the Chief Justice of the state Supreme Court chooses one; each commissioner must be chosen without regard to party affiliation.  Each commissioner must have lived in Alaska for at least a year, and at least one commissioner must be appointed from each of the state’s judicial districts. [Alaska Const. art. VI, § 8]

For the 2020 cycle, the first four commissioners were appointed by the Governor and legislative leadership in late July 2020.  On Aug. 6, 2020, the Chief Justice selected the final member of the commission, which includes three Republicans and two voters with undeclared party preferences.

Alaska state law requires that its commission draw initial proposals for state legislative lines within 30 days of the commissioners’ appointment or within 30 days of the delivery of Census data, whichever is later.  The commission then holds hearings on the proposals and makes appropriate adjustments.  Final maps are due 90 days after the commission’s appointment or delivery of the Census data, whichever is later. [Alaska Const. art. VI, § 10]  For the 2020 cycle, because Census data was released on Aug. 12, 2021, the commission was required to draw proposed maps by Sept. 11, 2021 and adopt a final map by Nov. 10, 2021.

The deadline for candidates to file for the state legislative primary elections was June 1, 2022. [Alaska Stat. § 15.25.040]

Alaska prohibits redrawing district lines mid-decade, before the next Census. [Alaska Const. art. VI, § 10]

Alaska requires public hearings on plan proposals. [Alaska Const. art. VI, § 10]

In the 2020 cycle, the commission held public hearings on plans drafted by the commission and by the public.  The schedule of planned public hearings for the 2020 cycle is available here and public comments on the plans are available here.

In the 2010 redistricting cycle, citizens were entitled to submit proposed maps to the commission, and these proposals were also evaluated at hearings.  Commission meetings from the 2010 cycle are archived here, and the public meetings from that cycle are archived here.

Like all states, Alaska must comply with constitutional equal population requirements; state law further demands that state legislative districts be populated as nearly equally as practicable. [Alaska Const. art. VI, § 6; In re 2001 Redistricting Cases, 47 P.3d 141, 145-46 (Alaska 2002)]

Alaska must also, like all states, abide by the Voting Rights Act and constitutional rules on race.  Alaska deploys a unique process to accomplish this objective: lines must first be drawn pursuant only to the state criteria below, and only thereafter may districts be adjusted (if necessary) to comply with the Voting Rights Act. [In re 2011 Redistricting Cases, 294 P.3d 1032, 1037-38 (Alaska 2012); In re 2011 Redistricting Cases, 274 P.3d 466, 467-68 (Alaska 2012)]

For its state legislative lines, the Alaska constitution requires that districts be contiguous and compact. [Alaska Const. art. VI, § 6; Hickel v. Southeast Conference, 846 P.2d 38, 44-46 (Alaska 1992); In re 2001 Redistricting Cases, 44 P.3d 141, 143 (Alaska 2002)]  Each district must also contain as nearly as practicable a “relatively integrated socio-economic area.” [Alaska Const. art. VI, § 6; In re 2001 Redistricting Cases, 47 P.3d 1089, 1091, 1094 (Alaska 2002); In re 2001 Redistricting Cases, 44 P.3d 141, 145-46 (Alaska 2002); Hickel v. Southeast Conference, 846 P.2d 38, 46-47 (Alaska 1992); Kenai Peninsula Borough v. State, 743 P.2d 1352, 1361-65 (Alaska 1987)]  In making these decisions, the commission may consider local government boundaries, and should use “drainage and other geographic features” to describe districts wherever possible. [Alaska Const. art. VI, § 6; Kenai Peninsula Borough v. State, 743 P.2d 1352 (Alaska 1987)]  Finally, state legislative districts must be nested, so that one Senate district is composed of two House districts. [Alaska Const. art. VI, § 6]

Alaska’s commissions issued its legislative maps on Nov. 10, 2021.  The maps were challenged in court, and on Mar. 25, 2022, the state Supreme Court rejected the maps based on the finding of a political gerrymander in Senate District K and a compactness violation in House District 36. [In the Matter of the 2021 Redistricting Cases, No. S-18332 (Alaska Mar. 25, 2022)]

On Apr. 13, 2022, the commission enacted a revised legislative plan which was also challenged.  On May 24, 2022, the state Supreme Court affirmed a finding that the revised Senate plan was also a partisan gerrymander and ordered the use of an interim map for the 2022 elections. [In the Matter of the 2021 Redistricting Cases, 528 P.3d 40 (Alaska 2023)]  On May 15. 2023, the commission adopted this interim plan as its final revised plan for the cycle.

Alaska’s commission issued its legislative maps on June 13, 2011; the maps were precleared on Oct. 11, 2011.  The maps were challenged in court, and on Mar. 14, 2012, the state Supreme Court rejected the maps based on the state’s unique process: the commission had not first drawn a map considering only state criteria, before adjusting the map (if necessary) to comply with the Voting Rights Act. [In re 2011 Redistricting Cases, 274 P.3d 466 (Alaska 2012)]

The commission issued a new plan on Apr. 5, 2011; a trial court rejected that plan on Apr. 20, 2011, but on May 22, 2011, the state Supreme Court approved the plan for interim use in 2012, expressing concern that it would be difficult to redraw the plan in time to have it precleared.  The interim plan was precleared on June 27, 2012. [In re 2011 Redistricting Cases, 282 P.3d 306 (Alaska 2012)]

That Apr. 5 plan was ultimately rejected on Dec. 28, 2011, by the state Supreme Court for failure to abide by the state’s unique process, and returned to the commission once again.  The commission issued a third plan on July 14, 2013.  Court challenges to this latter map were not successful. [In re 2011 Redistricting Cases, Case No. 4FA-11-2209CI, 2013 WL 6074059 (Alaska Super. Ct., Fairbanks N. Star Borough Nov. 18, 2013)]

Alaska’s commission first drew lines that were struck down by the state Supreme Court, largely on compactness and equal population grounds. [In re 2001 Redistricting Cases, 44 P.3d 141 (Alaska 2002)]

The commission approved a second plan on Apr. 25, 2002, which was upheld by the state Supreme Court, and precleared on June 11, 2002. [In re 2001 Redistricting Cases, 47 P.3d 1089 (Alaska 2002)]