Clay County

Clay County is located in Northwestern Minnesota along the North Dakota border and was established on March 8, 1862 by the State Legislature. Clay County was organized on February 27, 1872. Clay County was previously known as Breckinridge County, named for Kentucky Democrat and U.S. Vice President (1857-1861) John C. Breckinridge. Clay County is named for Kentucky U.S. Senator 1806-1807, 1810-1811, 1831-1842, 1849-1852), Kentucky U.S. Representative (1811-1814, 1815-1821, 1823-1825), Speaker of the House (1811-1814, 1815-1820, 1823-1825), and U.S. Secretary of State (1825-1829) Henry Clay. Moorhead is the county seat. Sources: Clay County website. Minnesota Geographic Names, by Warren Upham (Minnesota Historical Society, 1969). Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

Notable candidates from Clay County include:

  • Solomon G. Comstock (resident): Republican State Representative (1876-1878, 1879-1883), State Senator SD 44 (1883-1889), and U.S. Representative (1889-1891)
  • Wallace Barton Douglas (resident): Republican State Representative (1895-1899), Attorney General (1899-1904), and Supreme Court Associate Justice (1904-1905)
  • Arthur Hansen (resident): DFL Treasurer (1955-1957)
  • Ira B. Mills (resident): Republican Railroad & Warehouse Commissioner (1901-1921)
  • Arlen Stangeland (resident): Conservative Caucus State Representative (1966-1975) and Republican U.S. Representative (1977-1991)
  • Knud Wefald (resident): Republican State Representative (1913-1917), Farmer-Labor U.S. Representative (1923-1927), and Farmer-Labor Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner (1933-1936)


Minnesota Department of Transportation.

Legislative Districts

Congressional Districts
Starting Ending Districts
1862 1863 At-Large
1863 1873 CD 02
1873 1883 CD 03
1883 1893 CD 05
1893 1903 CD 07
1903 1933 CD 09
1933 1935 At-Large
1935 1963 CD 09
1963 1973 CD 07
1973 2033 CD 07
Senate Districts
Starting Ending Districts
1867 1872 SD 03
1872 1882 SD 41
1882 1891 SD 44
1891 1899 SD 50
1899 1915 SD 60
1915 1963 SD 49
1963 1973 SD 56
1973 1983 SD 09
1983 2003 SD 02, 09
2003 2013 SD 09
2013 2023 SD 04
2023 2033 SD 01, 04
House Districts
Starting Ending Districts
1867 1872 HD 03
1872 1882 HD 41
1882 1891 HD 44
1891 1899 HD 50
1899 1915 HD 60
1915 1963 HD 49
1963 1967 HD 56
1967 1973 HD 56A, 56B
1973 1983 HD 09A, 09B
1983 1993 HD 02A, 02B, 09A, 09B
1993 2003 HD 02A, 09A, 09B
2003 2013 HD 09A, 09B
2013 2023 HD 04A, 04B
2023 2033 HD 01B, 04A, 04B

Candidates

Candidate Birth county Residence county Elections
Aaker, Hans (H.H.) Out of state Clay 1902, Lieutenant Governor, General (Prohibition, Lost)
1900, U.S. House, District 07, General (Prohibition, Lost)
1892, Secretary of State, General (Prohibition, Lost)
Alland, Joe Waseca Clay 1944, State House, District 49, General (Nonpartisan, Lost)
1942, State House, District 49, General (Nonpartisan, Won)
Altenburg, Mark Olaf Out of state Clay 2008, State House, District 09A, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Lost)
Anderson, Larry R. Out of state Clay 2002, State House, District 09A, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Lost)
2002, State House, District 09A, Primary (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
Anderson, Sam P. (S.P.) Out of state Clay 1924, State House, District 49, General (Nonpartisan, Won)
1922, State House, District 49, General (Nonpartisan, Won)
1920, State House, District 49, General (Nonpartisan, Won)
1918, State House, District 49, General (Nonpartisan, Won)
1918, State House, District 49, Primary (Nonpartisan, Won)
Aronson, Avis Out of state Clay 1972, State House, District 09A, General (Nonpartisan, Lost)
Bales, Bev Clay Douglas 1996, State House, District 10B, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Lost)
1996, State House, District 10B, Primary (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
Beauchamp, David Out of state Clay 1978, State House, District 09A, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Lost)
1978, State House, District 09A, Primary (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
1976, State House, District 09A, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
1974, State House, District 09A, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
1974, State House, District 09A, Primary (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Won)
Bodkin, W.J. Out of state Clay 1890, State House, District 50, General (Independent, Lost)
Boeddeker, Brian J. Clay Grant 2006, State House, District 11A, General (Democratic-Farmer-Labor, Lost)