Juneau is the most appropriate state capital for Alaska

The Alaska State Capitol on Oct. 29, 2025. (Mark Sabbatini / Juneau Independent)

By Mark S. Johnson

Over the past half century, there have been periodic efforts to move Alaska’s state capital from Juneau to southcentral Alaska. The arguments have included proximity to Alaska’s largest population and easier access to the legislature for most Alaskans.

Although there have not been significant efforts recently to move the state Legislature, there has been a steady movement of state administrative jobs to Anchorage. According to a Juneau Economic Development Council report in 2022, 824 state jobs since 2013 were moved out of Juneau. Most of those positions were moved to Anchorage, and they frequently involved higher-ranking management, executive, and policymaking positions.

Even Gov. Dunleavy has maintained his primary residence near Wasilla in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough.

Many people have argued that it is easier to recruit for high-level state positions in the Anchorage area. However, over my 48 years in Alaska, I have cumulatively spent about two years in Anchorage. In my view, the overall quality of life in Juneau is much better than Anchorage.

Moving so many state positions from Juneau to Anchorage has resulted in a large percentage of state policymakers not residing in the same community where the Legislature conducts its business. It is possible that some legislation vetoes by Gov. Dunleavy resulted from inadequate communication between him, his top administrative staff and legislative leaders.

Many years ago, it was common for state administration policymakers to spend significant amounts of time with legislators and their staffs to discuss pros and cons of proposed legislation (with approvals of top-level administration officials). Legislators often appreciated the specific expertise and knowledge of state employee subject matter experts. Although many Anchorage-based state officials sometimes fly to Juneau to testify on proposed legislation, it is also common for state officials to testify by teleconference. This may not be as effective as extended face-to-face interactions with legislators and their staffs.

Nationwide, only 17 U.S. state capitals are in the most populous city within their respective states. Historically, many states purposely established their capitals in smaller communities to help balance political influence and avoid concentrating too much power in a single commercial hub.

Based on an analysis of Juneau’s characteristics, an argument can be made that it is an ideal capital for Alaska because it is a cross-section of communities throughout the state. Like over 80% of towns and villages in Alaska, Juneau is not accessible by road. It also has a very vibrant Alaska Native culture, a significant commercial fishing community, good-paying mining jobs, major tourism, many successful small businesses, a reasonably good range of health care services, and a significant number of federal, state, and local government jobs. As a small city, Juneau has many of the amenities of larger communities like Anchorage, such as music venues, theater and other arts. 

Unlike Anchorage, everyone in Juneau is within walking distance of the wilderness and saltwater activities, and a large percentage of Juneau residents supplement their diets with wild foods.

A case can be made that state officials who adapt to life in Juneau could be more empathetic to the unique needs and challenges facing other residents throughout Alaska.

No matter where state policymakers live, traveling to remote communities throughout Alaska is another good way to gain empathy for the challenges and unique needs of Alaska’s diverse communities and cultures. This can be especially helpful for state officials who draft regulations to implement legislation. As a former Alaska Division of Public Health employee, I personally visited over 100 towns and villages in every region of Alaska in all seasons. Those experiences gave me valuable insights into the unique needs and challenges of remote communities throughout this state.

As we consider who should be our next governor, it would be helpful to know which candidates would make their primary residence in Juneau and who would put a priority on appointing state officials who are willing to live in Juneau. With closer proximity to the state legislature, this could help improve the legislative process and, hopefully, result in fewer governor vetoes of passed legislation.

• Mark S. Johnson moved to Fairbanks in 1978 and Juneau in 1979. He retired from the Alaska Division of Public Health as chief of Community Health and EMS in 2004 after a 25½ year career with the state. He has provided input and testimony of numerous health-related legislative bills and supervised writing of public health related regulations.