Sweep by the Democrats

The official ballot count was slow coming in from such out-of-the-way precincts as Nunivak Island, Pilot Point and Akutan, but long before all the outlying precincts were heard from in Alaska's first statehood election (minimum voting age: 19) the results were clear: the Democrats took every major elective office, from Governor on down, and in the 60-man legislature won every seat but four or five. Top men in the new state:

William Egan, 44, Governor. Alaska-born and a Valdez grocer, Bill Egan served in both houses of the territorial legislature, once offered to solve Alaska's woman shortage by proposing a $50-a-year tax on unmarried females. He is an airplane pilot, has worked as a cannery laborer and a truck driver, made his highest marks as president, chief parliamentarian and major cohesive agent of the 75-day Territorial Constitutional Convention in 1955-56, won the powerful governorship, with its broad powers of appointment, from Territorial Senator John Butrovich by nearly 10,000 votes.

Edward Lewis Bartlett, 54, U.S. Senator. A onetime gold miner, Seattle-born "Bob"' Bartlett has been a territorial delegate to Congress for 14 years, made himself the Washington symbol of Alaskan statehood ambition, contributed much of the hard work that built the reality of the 49th star, had no trouble beating Juneau Attorney R. E. Robertson 38,000 to 6,500.

Ernest Gruening, 71, U.S. Senator. A crusty, longtime conservationist and Alaska territorial governor for 13 years after his appointment by Franklin Roosevelt. Gruening had heavy labor support, campaigned tirelessly, spoke clearly on all questions, personally claimed credit for statehood, the DEW line and the fight against tuberculosis among Alaska's natives. It took all that to beat out young (39) Republican Mike Stepovich, who quit the territorial governorship to run. Stepovich, father of eight children and last-appointed Alaska governor proved to be only a so-so campaigner, got lost in the political infighting, lost the election by a slender 2,500 votes.

Ralph J. Rivers, 55, lone member of the House of Representatives. A onetime territorial attorney general, wiry Ralph Rivers has long been a top vote getter in Alaska, was once mayor of Fairbanks, two years ago made a 6,500-mile auto trip to Washington, where he, Gruening and Egan announced themselves as duly elected representatives of the abortive "Alaska Tennessee'' Plan, demanding recognition for Alaska as a state.

Rivers' reward--like Gruening's, Egan's and Bartlett's--will come within a few-weeks, when President Eisenhower officially declares Alaska the 49th state and each new official settles down at his new desk, ready for business.

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