Byron Mallott, left, will serve as lieutenant governor under Bill Walker. Photo from Facebook
The unity ticket for governor in Alaska declared victory on Saturday after new ballot counts confirmed the defeat of an incumbent who was seen as hostile to Native interests. Independent Bill Walker and Democrat Byron Mallott are the first non-party team in state history to win the governor's office. The two candidates started preparing their transition after election night tallies showed them with a slight lead but now they are moving forward with a secure win. "Bill and I have a lot of work ahead of us," Mallott, who is Tlingit, said in a press release. Mallott, a former board chair and former CEO of Sealaska Corporation, is well known across the state and first entered the race as a candidate for governor. He joined Walker's campaign after the pair decided they had the best shot at defeating Gov. Sean Parnell (R), who has opposed Alaska tribes on subsistence, sovereignty, voting rights and Indian Child Welfare Act issues. In conceding his re-election campaign, Parnell mentioned his efforts to stop the "epidemic" of domestic violence, sexual abuse and sex trafficking in the state. He didn't address the issues that drove many Native voters to turn against him. Mallott will now become the second lieutenant governor with Native heritage. The first was Loren Leman, according to Wikipedia. Get the Story:
Walker wins Alaska governor's race after Friday ballot count (AP 11/14)
Friday vote count makes Walker victory in race for governor look certain (The Alaska Dispatch News 11/15)
Parnell concedes governor's race (The Alaska Dispatch News 11/15)
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