Members of the 31st Legislature continued taking substantive action after the 2020 Alaska elections, including the authorization of a lawsuit against Dunleavy.

Democratic candidates won 16 seats, and an independent was elected to the district covering the Southeast Alaska town of Ketchikan.

[2] This arrangement collapsed less than a month later, after Kenai Republican Rep. Gary Knopp withdrew his support, citing concerns about Eastman's reliability.

It remains the longest such leadership deadlock in state history and ended only when several Republicans crossed the aisle after Speaker of the House Bryce Edgmon changed his political affiliation to "undeclared".

[9] After the Republicans selected Giessel, Democratic Sen. Lyman Hoffman of Bethel joined the majority, becoming the sole non-Republican member.