Paul Seaton
Paul Seaton is a former Independent member of the Alaska House of Representatives, representing District 31 from 2015-2019. He lost the general election on November 6, 2018, after advancing from the primary on August 21, 2018. Seaton filed to run for re-election as a nonpartisan candidate but gained the Democratic nomination after he won the Democratic primary.
Following the 2016 elections (where Republicans won 21 of 40 seats), Seaton joined a majority coalition that included all 17 Democrats, two independents, and Republicans Gabrielle LeDoux and Louise Stutes. The coalition elected Bryce Edgmon (D) as speaker and Seaton became the Finance Committee co-chairman.
Following the formation of the coalition, Alaska GOP Chairman Tuckerman Babcock invited LeDoux, Seaton, and Stutes to leave the party and said they would face challengers in the Republican primaries on August 21, 2018. Seaton filed to run for re-election as a nonpartisan candidate and ran unopposed in the Democratic primary. Three Republicans filed to challenge him in the general election: Jon Cox, Sarah Vance, and Hank Kroll.
Visit this page to learn more about the primaries: Alaska state legislative Republican primaries, 2018
Biography
Seaton's professional experience includes working as the owner of K-N-S Marine, and has as a cook inlet keeper, fisherman, teacher and in the tree clearing business.
Committee assignments
2017 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2017 legislative session, this legislator served on the following committees:
| Alaska committee assignments, 2017 |
|---|
| • Finance, Chair |
| • Legislative Budget and Audit |
2015 legislative session
At the beginning of the 2015 legislative session, Seaton served on the following committees:
| Alaska committee assignments, 2015 |
|---|
| • Community & Regional Affairs, Vice chair |
| • Education |
| • Health & Social Services, Chair |
| • Resources |
2013-2014
At the beginning of the 2013 legislative session, Seaton served on the following committees:
| Alaska committee assignments, 2013 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Health & Social Services |
| • Resources |
| • Fisheries, Chair |
2011-2012
In the 2011-2012 legislative session, Seaton served on these committees:[1]
| Alaska committee assignments, 2011 |
|---|
| • Education |
| • Education Funding District Cost Factor, Chair |
| • Health & Social Services |
| • Higher Education/Career Readiness Task Force |
| • Labor & Commerce |
| • Resources |
| • State Affairs |
2009-2010
In the 2009-2010 legislative session, Seaton served on these committees:
| Alaska committee assignments, 2009 |
|---|
| • Education, Chair |
| • Health & Social Services |
| • Resources |
| • State Affairs, Chair |
Sponsored legislation
The following table lists bills this person sponsored as a legislator, according to BillTrack50 and sorted by action history. Bills are sorted by the date of their last action. The following list may not be comprehensive. To see all bills this legislator sponsored, click on the legislator's name in the title of the table.
Elections
2018
General election
General election for Alaska House of Representatives District 31
Sarah Vance defeated incumbent Paul Seaton in the general election for Alaska House of Representatives District 31 on November 6, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ |  | Sarah Vance (R)  | 54.8 | 5,243 |
 | Paul Seaton (D) | 44.3 | 4,236 | |
| Other/Write-in votes | 1.0 | 91 | ||
| Total votes: 9,570 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Republican primary election
Republican primary for Alaska House of Representatives District 31
Sarah Vance defeated John Cox and Hank Kroll in the Republican primary for Alaska House of Representatives District 31 on August 21, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Sarah Vance | 44.6 | 1,222 |
 | John Cox | 40.9 | 1,122 | |
 | Hank Kroll | 14.5 | 398 | |
| Total votes: 2,742 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
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Alaska Democratic, Libertarian, and Independence parties primary election
Alaska Democratic, Libertarian, and Independence parties primary for Alaska House of Representatives District 31
Incumbent Paul Seaton advanced from the Alaska Democratic, Libertarian, and Independence parties primary for Alaska House of Representatives District 31 on August 21, 2018.
Candidate | % | Votes | ||
| ✔ | | Paul Seaton | 100.0 | 1,490 |
| Total votes: 1,490 | |||
| = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey. | ||||
| If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey. | ||||
Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team. | ||||
Republican primary overview
Did the incumbent file to run for re-election?
| Yes (running as a nonpartisan candidate) |
What made this a battleground race?
| Paul Seaton held this seat heading into the 2018 elections. He was one of three Republicans to leave their party and join the Democratic-led majority coalition after the 2016 elections.[2] After the Alaska Supreme Court ruled that independents could run in party primaries, Seaton filed for re-election as a nonpartisan candidate and chose to run in the Democratic primary.[3] No other Democrats filed to run, while Republicans John Cox (who unsuccessfully challenged Seaton in the 2016 primaries), Sarah Vance, and Hank Kroll filed to run. |
2016
Elections for the Alaska House of Representatives took place in 2016. The primary election took place on August 16, 2016, and the general election was held on November 8, 2016. The candidate filing deadline was June 1, 2016.
Incumbent Paul Seaton ran unopposed in the Alaska House of Representatives District 31 general election.[4][5]
| Alaska House of Representatives, District 31 General Election, 2016 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | |
| Republican |  Paul Seaton Incumbent (unopposed) | |
| Source: Alaska Secretary of State | ||
Incumbent Paul Seaton defeated John R. Cox and Mary E. Wythe in the Alaska House of Representatives District 31 Republican Primary.[6][7]
| Alaska House of Representatives, District 31 Republican Primary, 2016 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
| Republican | Paul Seaton Incumbent |
48.13% | 1,531 | |
| Republican | John R. Cox | 27.32% | 869 | |
| Republican | Mary E. Wythe | 24.55% | 781 | |
| Total Votes | 3,181 | |||
2014
Elections for the Alaska House of Representatives took place in 2014. A primary election took place on August 19, 2014. The general election was held on November 4, 2014. The signature filing deadline for candidates wishing to run in this election was June 2, 2014. District 30 incumbent Paul Seaton was unopposed in the Republican primary and was unchallenged in the general election.[8][9][10][11]
2012
Seaton ran for re-election in the 2012 election for Alaska House of Representatives District 30. He defeated Jon Faulkner in the Republican primary on August 28, 2012. The general election took place on November 6, 2012.[12][13] Seaton won re-election in the general election.[14]
| Party | Candidate | Vote % | Votes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Paul Seaton Incumbent |
71.8% | 6,287 | |
| Democratic | Elizabeth R. Diament | 27.5% | 2,413 | |
| Total Votes | 8,762 | |||
| Candidate | Vote % | Votes |
|---|---|---|
|
Paul Seaton Incumbent |
54.8% | 2,044 |
| Jon Faulkner | 45.2% | 1,686 |
| Total Votes | 3,730 | |
2010
Seaton won re-election to the 35th District seat in 2010. He had no opposition in the August 24 primary election or the November 2 general election.[15][16]
2008
In 2008, Seaton was re-elected to the Alaska House of Representatives District 35. Seaton (R) finished with 5,827 votes while his opponent Philip Alderfer (D) finished with 2,886 votes.[17] Seaton raised $36,162 for his campaign fund.[18]
| Alaska House of Representatives District 35 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Candidates | Votes | |||
| Paul Seaton (R)
|
5,827 | |||
| Philip Alderfer (D) | 2,886 | |||
Campaign themes
2012
Seaton's website highlighted the following campaign themes:[19]
- Education
- Excerpt: "Education should be one of the State's highest priorities. I was a member of the Legislative Education Funding Task Force which came to consensus on how to adequately fund our schools and equitably implement the district cost factor."
- Permanent Fund Dividend
- Excerpt: "I support protecting the Permanent Fund Dividend program. The Permanent Fund Dividend provides economic stabilization to a great many Alaskan families and great economic stimulus to all sectors of our retail economy. Raising revenue by reduction of the PFD means that only resident Alaskans are 'taxed'."
- Pebble Prospect
- Excerpt: "The Pebble Prospect is unique in Alaska because its estimated value and size would make it one of the largest mines in the world. It is also located in the headwaters of the largest and most valuable salmon run in the world. Infrastructure created in a Pebble development may open the entire Bristol Bay mining district to otherwise non-economic mining claims."
- Taxes
- Excerpt: "At this time of high oil prices and the restructured oil tax, which I supported, there is no need for any new citizen-based tax."
- Prop 2
- Excerpt: "We all know there are differences in the resources and impacts of development in different localities. Without ACMP, big government agencies apply a one-size-fits-all standard to development and do not recognize the uniqueness of local area concerns. This is true for federal agencies such as the EPA or Dept. of Interior. The ACMP is a states' rights issue, giving the state authority to impose conditions on federal development, and giving local communities a voice against big government."
Political courage tests
2006
Seaton's answers to the Alaska State Legislative Election 2006 National Political Awareness Test are available. When asked his legislative priorities he replied:
- 1. Education funding across the State is not equitable because the Geographic Cost Differential factors that have twice been identified and studied under legislative contract have not been incorporated into the school Foundation Formula.
- 2. We must find a mechanism to fairly fund the debt of the State run PERS/TRS System. The current method of only raising employer contribution rates is unsustainable if services are not going to be drastically curtailed.
- 3. Municipal revenue sharing or Community Dividends are a necessity if we wish to have sustainable communities. However, we need to establish an automatic and sustainable revenue stream or the State will cut this vital program first in time of fiscal constraint.[20]
Campaign finance summary
Note: The finance data shown here comes from the disclosures required of candidates and parties. Depending on the election or state, this may represent only a portion of all the funds spent on their behalf. Satellite spending groups may or may not have expended funds related to the candidate or politician on whose page you are reading this disclaimer. Campaign finance data from elections may be incomplete. For elections to federal offices, complete data can be found at the FEC website. Click here for more on federal campaign finance law and here for more on state campaign finance law.
Scorecards
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Alaska scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2022
In 2022, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 18 to May 18.
2021
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2021, click [show]. |
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In 2021, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 19 to May 19.
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2020
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2020, click [show]. |
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In 2020, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 21 to May 20.
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2019
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2019, click [show]. |
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In 2019, the legislature was in session from January 15, 2019, through May 14, 2019.
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2018
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2018, click [show]. |
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In 2018, the 31st Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 16 through May 13.
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2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 17 through May 17. The legislature held a special session from May 18 to June 16, a second special session from June 16 to July 15, a one-day special session on July 27, and a fourth special session from October 23 to November 21.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 19 through May 18 (extended session). The Legislature held a special session from May 23, 2016, to June 19, 2016. The Legislature held a second special session from July 11 to July 18.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 20 through April 27 (Session extended). The first special session was held from April 28 to May 21. The second special session was held from May 21 to June 11. A third special session was held from October 24 to November 5.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the 28th Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 21 to April 20.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 15 to April 14. Ballotpedia staff did not find any state legislative scorecards published for this state in 2013. If you are aware of one, please contact editor@ballotpedia.org to let us know. |
2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the 27th Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 17 to April 15. It was in special session from April 15 to April 30.
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|PreG=
A scorecard evaluates a legislator’s voting record. Its purpose is to inform voters about the legislator’s political positions. Because scorecards have varying purposes and methodologies, each report should be considered on its own merits. For example, an advocacy group’s scorecard may assess a legislator’s voting record on one issue while a state newspaper’s scorecard may evaluate the voting record in its entirety.
Ballotpedia is in the process of developing an encyclopedic list of published scorecards. Some states have a limited number of available scorecards or scorecards produced only by select groups. It is Ballotpedia’s goal to incorporate all available scorecards regardless of ideology or number.
Click here for an overview of legislative scorecards in all 50 states. To contribute to the list of Alaska scorecards, email suggestions to editor@ballotpedia.org.
2018
In 2018, the 31st Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 16 through May 13.
- Legislators are scored by the Alaska Business Report Card on "how supportive they are of Alaska’s private business sector."[21]
- Legislators are scored on their votes on specific legislation.
- Legislators are scored on their votes on conservative issues.
2017
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2017, click [show]. |
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In 2017, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 17 through May 17. The legislature held a special session from May 18 to June 16, a second special session from June 16 to July 15, a one-day special session on July 27, and a fourth special session from October 23 to November 21.
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2016
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2016, click [show]. |
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In 2016, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 19 through May 18 (extended session). The Legislature held a special session from May 23, 2016, to June 19, 2016. The Legislature held a second special session from July 11 to July 18.
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2015
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2015, click [show]. |
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In 2015, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 20 through April 27 (Session extended). The first special session was held from April 28 to May 21. The second special session was held from May 21 to June 11. A third special session was held from October 24 to November 5.
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2014
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2014, click [show]. |
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In 2014, the 28th Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 21 to April 20.
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2013
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2013, click [show]. |
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In 2013, the Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 15 to April 14. Ballotpedia staff did not find any state legislative scorecards published for this state in 2013. If you are aware of one, please contact editor@ballotpedia.org to let us know. |
2012
| To view all the scorecards we found for this legislator in 2012, click [show]. |
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In 2012, the 27th Alaska State Legislature was in session from January 17 to April 15. It was in special session from April 15 to April 30.
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Personal
Note: Please contact us if the personal information below requires an update.
Seaton and his wife, Tina, have two children.
He is a member of a number of organizations, including the National Education Association, Alaska Marine Conservation Council, Homer Little League Board, National Research Council Board - Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association, Kachemak Bay Conservation Society, Kachemak Bay Rotary Club and the Kachemak Heritage Land Trust.[22]
Recent news
This section links to a Google news search for the term "Paul + Seaton + Alaska + House"
See also
- Alaska State Legislature
- Alaska House of Representatives
- Alaska House Committees
- Alaska House of Representatives District 31
External links
- Paul Seaton's campaign website
- Profile from Open States
- Biography from Project Vote Smart
- Campaign contributions via Follow the Money
- Alaska's House Majority - Paul Seaton profile
- Paul Seaton on Facebook
- Paul Seaton on LinkedIn
- Campaign Facebook page
Footnotes
- ↑ Alaska House of Representatives, "House Majority Members" accessed September 18, 2012 (dead link)
- ↑ KBBI, "Republican Party has a contender to run against Rep. Paul Seaton," February 14, 2018
- ↑ name=seatonAlaska Public Media, "Seaton files to run as independent in Democratic primary," June 1, 2018
- ↑ State of Alaska Division of Elections, "November 8, 2016 General Election Candidate List," accessed August 22, 2016
- ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "General Election Official Results 2016," accessed December 2, 2016
- ↑ State of Alaska Division of Elections, "August 16, 2016 Primary Candidate List," accessed June 8, 2016
- ↑ State of Alaska Division of Elections, "2016 Primary Election results," accessed September 12, 2016
- ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "Official primary candidate list," accessed June 4, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "Official primary election results," accessed January 1, 2015
- ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "Official general election candidate list," accessed September 11, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Secretary of State, "Official General Election Results," accessed November 25, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "2012 Primary Candidate List," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Official 2012 Primary Results," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Election Division, "Official 2012 General election results," accessed November 16, 2012
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Official 2010 Primary election results," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Official 2010 General election results," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Alaska Division of Elections, "Official 2008 General election results," accessed July 2, 2015
- ↑ Follow the Money, "Campaign funds," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ votepaulseaton.com, "Issues (Archived)," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Issue Positions," accessed March 12, 2014
- ↑ 21.00 21.01 21.02 21.03 21.04 21.05 21.06 21.07 21.08 21.09 21.10 Alaska Business Report Card, "About," accessed November 5, 2019 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content Cite error: Invalid<ref>tag; name "abrc" defined multiple times with different content - ↑ Project Vote Smart, "Biography," accessed March 12, 2014
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Cathy Munoz (R) |
Alaska House of Representatives District 31 2015–2019 |
Succeeded by Sarah Vance (R) |
| Preceded by - |
Alaska House of Representatives District 30 2013–2015 |
Succeeded by Kurt Olson (R) |
| Preceded by - |
Alaska House of Representatives District 35 2003–2013 |
Succeeded by Alan Austerman (R) |
