She married Todd Palin, her boyfriend since high school, on August 29, 1988. Todd Palin works for the oil company BP in a non-managerial position and works as a fisherman in his hometown in the summers. He is a world champion snowmobiler, winning the 2,000-mile (3,200 km) "Iron Dog" race four times. The two eloped shortly after Palin graduated from college. Neither her husband nor her son Track are registered Republicans, and neither have ever registered with a political party; over half of Alaskans are registered as nonpartisan or undeclared. The Palin family lives in Wasilla, about 45 miles (72 km) north of Anchorage.
Palin has two sons (Track, 19; and Trig, four months) and three daughters (Bristol, 17; Willow, 14; and Piper, 7) [Ages as of August 2008]. She gave birth to Trig on April 18, 2008, while in office as governor, and returned to the office three days afterward. The baby, as prenatal genetic testing had shown, has Down syndrome;