1873 Election Cycle

Democrats finally broke through in a statewide race for the first time since 1857 with appointed Treasurer Edwin Dyke retaining his seat running on the Democratic-Anti-Monopoly ticket. Republican Secretary of State Samuel Jennison nearly lost his reelection bid with a 0.7-point win over Democratic-Anti-Monopoly nominee and former state legislator John Stevens. Republicans won the remaining races for Governor (Cushman Davis), Lieutenant Governor (Alphonso Barto), and Attorney General (George P. Wilson) by six to seven points.

The GOP held 28 of 41 state Senate seats entering the 16th Legislature and 58 of 106 state House seats.

Elections

Date Office Stage Winners Details
11/04/1873 Governor General Cushman Kellogg (C.K.) Davis (Republican) won with 40,741 votes (52.87%) and a winning margin of +7.13
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Cushman Kellogg (C.K.) Davis Man Republican 40,741 52.87
Ara Barton Man Democrat-Anti-Monopoly 35,245 45.74
Samuel Mayall Man Temperance 1,036 1.34
Scattering Write-In 35 0.05

Davis was a former state Representative (HD01, 1867-1868) and U.S. Attorney from St. Paul. Davis later served in the U.S. Senate (1887-1900).

Barton was a farmer from Northfield, state Representative (HD 03, 1859; HD 08, 1871-1872; HD 18 (1872-1873), and Minnesota State Agricultural Society president.

Mayall was a former Democratic member of the Maine House, Maine Senate, U.S. Representative from Maine (1853-1855), and Temperance nominee for governor in 1871.

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11/04/1873 Lieutenant Governor General Alphonso Barto (Republican) won with 41,352 votes (53.71%) and a winning margin of +7.42
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Alphonso Barto Man Republican 41,352 53.71
Ebenezer Ayres Man Democrat 35,639 46.29
Scattering Write-In 4 0.01

Barto was an attorney from Sauk Centre and state Representative (HD 31, 1872-1874).

Ayres was a farmer from Cottage Grove, state Representative (HD 02, 1867-1868; HD 22, 1872-1873), Greenback nominee for Railroad Commissioner in 1877, Greenback-Labor nominee for Railroad Commissioner in 1879, and Greenback nominee for the 3rd CD in 1880.

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11/04/1873 State House, District 15 General Patrick H. (P.H.) Rahilly (Farmers and Laborers) won with 205 votes (52.70%) and a winning margin of +5.40
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Patrick H. (P.H.) Rahilly Man Farmers and Laborers 205 52.70
John A. Jackson Man Republican 184 47.30

Rahilly and Jackson were residents of Mount Pleasant.

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11/04/1873 State House, District 15 General James K. Smith (Republican) won with 396 votes (65.56%) and a winning margin of +31.13
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
James K. Smith Man Republican 396 65.56
E.N. Dodge Man Farmers and Laborers 208 34.44

Smith was a resident of Oakwood.

Dodge was a resident of Elgin.

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11/04/1873 State House, District 15 General Edward Drury (Farmers and Laborers) won with 403 votes (53.17%) and a winning margin of +6.33
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Edward Drury Man Farmers and Laborers 403 53.17
T.S. Van Dyke Man Republican 355 46.83

Drury and Van Dyke were residents of Wabasha.

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