Nellie Jimmie

{{Short description|American politician and community leader (born 1979)}}

{{Infobox officeholder

| name = Nellie Jimmie

| district = 38th

| state_house = Alaska

| termstart = January 21, 2025

| party = Democratic

| birth_place = Bethel, Alaska, U.S.

| predecessor = Conrad McCormick

| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1979}}

| native_name = Unangik

| native_name_lang = esu

| children = 2

}}

Nellie Darlene Jimmie (Yup'ik: Unangik; born 1979) is an American politician and community leader serving as a member of the Alaska House of Representatives for district 38. She previously operated a local business and was a representative on the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative board for Toksook Bay, Alaska.

Early life and education

Nellie D. Jimmie, also known by her Yup'ik name Unangik, was born in Bethel, Alaska, in 1979.{{Cite web |last=Jimmie |first=Nellie |date=2024 |title=Position Sought: House District 38 Representative |url=https://www.elections.alaska.gov/doc/oep/2024/Jimmie,%20Nellie%20D%20Unangik_HD38_Eng_06.25.24-PWeb.pdf |access-date=2024-11-22 |website=Alaska Elections}} She is of Yup'ik, Ojibwa, and Lakota descent, and her upbringing was rooted in the subsistence lifestyle of her community, including activities such as fishing, hunting, and gathering. Her parents are Alexie and Aleta Jimmie, from whom she learned traditional knowledge and cultural practices. Jimmie spent her early years in Bethel before moving to Toksook Bay in 1987.

She graduated from Nelson Island High School in 1996 and later attended the Alaska Job Corps Center, completing a program in 2000. She completed some college coursework at the University of Phoenix in 2009.

Career

Jimmie served as the Alaska Village Electric Cooperative (AVEC) board representative for Toksook Bay. She worked with her family in operating Bayview General Merchandise Inc.

During the 2024 Alaska House of Representatives election, Jimmie ran to represent district 38.{{Cite web |last=Erickson |first=Evan |last2=Smiley |first2=Sage |date=2024-10-31 |title=Some of HD38 candidate Nellie Jimmie’s answers from KYUK’s candidate forum |url=https://www.kyuk.org/politics/2024-10-31/some-of-hd38-candidate-nellie-jimmies-answers-from-kyuks-candidate-forum |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=KYUK |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Smiley |first=Sage |date=2024-11-21 |title=Toksook Bay's Nellie Jimmie will represent the Lower Kuskokwim in the Alaska House |url=https://www.kyuk.org/politics/2024-11-20/toksook-bays-nellie-jimmie-will-represent-the-lower-kuskokwim-in-the-alaska-house |access-date=2024-11-23 |website=KYUK |language=en}} Her opponents included the incumbent, Conrad McCormick, a Democrat from Bethel; Willy Keppel of the Veterans of Alaska Party; and Victoria Sosa, a Democrat from Bethel who dropped out of the race but remained on the ballot. She secured 44 percent of the vote in the primary election. McCormick outraised Jimmie by a substantial margin, bringing in $37,558 to her $6,565 as of October 17.{{cite web|url=https://thealaskacurrent.com/2024/10/17/after-blocking-contribution-limits-most-conservatives-lag-in-fundraising/|title=After blocking contribution limits, most conservatives lag in fundraising|last=Acuña Baxton|first=Matt|date=October 17, 2024|website=The Alaska Current}} In the general election, Jimmie won with 51.04 percent of the vote after the ranked-choice voting process, narrowly defeating McCormick by 58 votes.

Jimmie's campaign emphasized addressing housing shortages, improving water and sewer infrastructure, and managing subsistence resources. She advocated for enhanced support and training for village public safety officers and highlighted the need for public health services in rural areas, such as having medical examiners available closer to remote communities. Her legislative priorities included preserving traditional ways of life, addressing climate change impacts such as erosion and flooding, and fostering cooperation with tribal governments.

Personal life

Jimmie resides in Toksook Bay, Alaska, where she has lived since 1987. She is the mother of two daughters. Since 2012, she has been a member of the Nunakauyak Dance Group, participating in traditional Yup'ik dances. Her hobbies include sewing, crafting, and subsistence activities.

Electoral History

=2024=

== Primary ==

{{Election box begin no change

| title = 2024 Nonpartisan primary}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Nellie "Unangiq" Jimmie

| votes = 660

| percentage = 43.8

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Conrad McCormick (incumbent)

| votes = 426

| percentage = 28.3

}}

{{Election box winning candidate no change

| party = Veterans of Alaska

| color = #674690

| candidate = Willy Keppel

| votes = 309

| percentage = 20.5

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change

| party = Democratic Party (United States)

| candidate = Victoria Sosa

| votes = 111

| percentage = 7.4

}}

{{Election box total no change

| votes = 1506

| percentage = 100.0

}}

== General ==

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right" \|+ colspan=6 \| Alaska House of Representatives General election, district 38
colspan=2 rowspan=2 \| Party ! rowspan=2 \| Candidate ! colspan=2 \| First Choice ! colspan=3 \| Round 1 ! colspan=3 \| Round 2 ! colspan=3 \| Round 3
Votes ! % ! Votes ! % ! Transfer ! Votes ! % ! Transfer ! Votes ! %
style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}}" \| \| style="text-align:left" \|Democratic \| style="text-align:left" scope="row" \|{{sortname\|Nellie "Unangiq"\|Jimmie\|Nellie Jimmie}} \| 1,380 \| 36.7% \| 1,295 \| 36.2% \| +56 \| 1,351 \| 38.5% \| +197 \| 1,548 \| 52.3%
style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}}" \| \| style="text-align:left" \|Democratic \| style="text-align:left" scope="row" \| {{sortname\|Conrad\|McCormick}} (incumbent) \| 1,212 \| 32.2% \| 1,166 \| 32.6% \| +34 \| 1,200 \| 34.2% \| +211 \| 1,411 \| 47.7%
style="background-color:#674690" \| \| style="text-align:left" \| Veterans of Alaska \| style="text-align:left" scope="row" \| {{sortname\|Willy\|Keppel\|nolink=1}} \| 971 \| 25.8% \| 932 \| 26.1% \| +27 \| 959 \| 27.3% \| -959 \| colspan="2" style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;"\| Eliminated
style="background-color:{{party color\|Democratic Party (US)}}" \| \| style="text-align:left" \|Democratic \| style="text-align:left" scope="row" \| {{sortname\|Victoria\|Sosa\|nolink=1}} \| 187 \| 5.0% \| 184 \| 5.1% \| -184 \| colspan="5" style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;"\| Eliminated
style="background-color:{{party color\|Write-in}}" \| \| style="text-align:left" colspan=2 \| Write-in \| 13 \| 0.4% \| colspan="8" style="background:lightgrey; text-align:center;"\| Eliminated
class="sortbottom" style="background-color:#F6F6F6" ! colspan=3 scope="row" style="text-align:right;" \| Total votes ! colspan=2 \|3,763 ! colspan=3 \|3,577 ! colspan=3 \|3,510 ! colspan=3 \|2,959
class="sortbottom"
class="sortbottom" style="background-color:#F6F6F6" ! colspan=5 scope="row" style="text-align:right;" \| Blank or inactive ballots ! colspan=2 \| 130 \| +67 ! colspan=2 \| 197 \| +551 ! colspan=2 \| 748

class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:right"

|+ colspan=6 | Alaska House of Representatives General election, district 38

colspan=2 rowspan=2 | Party

! rowspan=2 | Candidate

! colspan=2 | First Choice

! colspan=3 | Round 1

! colspan=3 | Round 2

! colspan=3 | Round 3

Votes

! %

! Votes

! %