The Act establishing the Constitutional Convention provides that the Convention "shall have power to make ordinances and to take all measures necessary or proper in preparation for the admission of Alaska as a State of the Union." Three specific ordinances are required of the Convention:

1. An ordinance providing for submission of the constitution to a vote of the people.
2. An ordinance providing for submission of the constitution, after ratification by the people, through the President of the United States to the Congress.
3. An ordinance providing for the first election of the officers and representatives of the new State.

Other recent constitutional conventions have provided, either by ordinance or by a "Transitory Provisions" article of the constitution itself, for the effective date and implementation of the constitution, for the continuance in effect of all laws not inconsistent with the constitution, for the protection and transfer of the assets and liabilities of the existing government to the succeeding one, as well as for establishing the time and manner of the first elections under the new constitution.

A constitutional convention may also adopt resolutions in the manner provided by its rules. There is no inherent distinction between "ordinances" and "resolutions, " but some distinction may be provided in the convention rules. Similarly the rules may provide for general and special orders of the day, which set forth the calendar of convention business.