Activist Toolkit

The Juneau Watchdog provides you with the tools necessary to become an effective citizens activist. This page will help you to find your legislators and provide you with information on how to contact them. Your toolkit will also include materials to help you find your voice for conservation issues that concern you by teaching you the process of the legislature.

Your Activism Counts!

Many Alaskan's forget that public officials like the Governor and the State Legislature work for you. You are the reason that they hold the positions that they do. Your opinion matters because you are your elected officials constituent. Constituent is a powerful term used to remind these officials of who your legislator was elected to represent and who ultimately has a role in determining whether or not they are reelected.

You do not have to be an expert on the issue that concerns you. Providing your elected officials with information on how the issue impacts you, your family, your job, or just your life in general should be enough to get your legislator's attention.

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Legislature 101:

Here are some basic reminders of our government structure:

• The State of Alaska's government consist of three branches- the Legislature, the Administrative (the Governor and cabinet), and the Judicial (courts).
• These three branches provide checks and balances. Ensuring that there is not one overbearing voice in the government.
• This is the 2nd session of Alaska's 25th Legislature. Each legislature has two sessions.
• Our Legislature consists of two bodies - the House of Representatives and the Senate. There are 20 state senators and 40 state representatives (every senator's area is divided into 2 house districts). Each representative runs for office every 2 years, while senators run every 4 years.
• The presiding officier in the House is called the Speaker and in the Senate they are called the President.
• Additionally, the two bodies are divided even further into the majority and the minority. Currently, the House is divided along party lines in which the majoirty is mostly republican (Rep. Foster is the exception) and the minority is democrat. In the Senate the majority consists of a bipartisan coalition and minority of mostly republicans.
• During the session, most of the formal legislative work occurs through standing committees. There are 9 regular standing committees in each body - the House also has special standing committees for ways and means, oil and gas, fisheries and education. Legislators are appointed to committees at the beginning of the first session and stay assigned to those committees for both sessions.
• The majority assigns committee chairs and allocates committee assignments. Thus the majority has significant control over which pieces of legislation will or will not move through the process.
• Many issues are addressed in several different committees and it is often difficult to keep track of where and when a bill will be heard. But your Juneau Watchdog is here to help you through the session.