Following a November 1912 election to choose legislators, eight senators and 16 representatives were selected.

March 3rd 1913 was chosen, and on that day promptly at 12 noon, the First Territorial Legislature convened.

In attendance were eight Senators and 15 Representatives.

J.J. Mullaly the 16th delegate, had left Alaska prior to the election, and won, but was never notified and so didn’t know to attend.

Some of the legislators underwent substantial hardship to attend the first session. For instance, four members from Nome, Conrad Freeding, Frank Aldrich, J.C. Kennedy and Tom Gaffney packed up their dogsleds and first, they trekked to Ruby, 300 miles away, where they were joined by Ruby legislator, Dan Sutherland, and continued on another 230 miles to Fairbanks.

From there, they mushed another 360 miles to Valdez. There they boarded the steamship Northwestern and traveled their last leg to Juneau.

The first order of business was the passage of House Bill 2, giving women the right to vote. It reads:

Be it enacted by the legislature of the Territory of Alaska: That in all elections which are now, or may be hereafter authorized by law in the Territory of Alaska, or any sub-division or municipality thereof, the elective franchise is hereby extended to such women as have the qualifications of citizenship required of male electors.

This legislation allowing women to vote came six years ahead of the Federal Government.

Alaska’s indigenous were not allowed to vote until 1915, but only then if they gave up tribal customs and traditions. It wasn’t until 1924 when the Indian Citizenship Act was signed into law, that all natives became citizens and were allowed to vote without giving up customs and traditions.

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  Alaska, first, legislature, territory