Governor, 1861 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alexander Ramsey Incumbent | Man | Republican | 16,274 | 60.80 | +21.77 |
| Edward O. (E.O.) Hamlin | Man | Democrat | 10,448 | 39.03 | |
| J.H. Ramsey | Man | Write-In | 28 | 0.10 | |
| William (W.H.) Dike | Man | Write-In | 5 | 0.02 | |
| Christopher Columbus (C.C.) Andrews | Man | Write-In | 1 | 0.00 | |
| J. Goss | Man | Write-In | 1 | 0.00 | |
| C.H. McCoon | Man | Write-In | 1 | 0.00 | |
| Jane Swisshelm | Woman | Write-In | 1 | 0.00 |
Governor Ramsey was reelected to a second term but he resigned on July 10, 1863 after getting elected to the U.S. Senate where he served from 1863-1875. Republican Lieutenant Governor Henry Swift took office and served until January 11, 1864.
Hamlin was an attorney, the first Mayor of St. Cloud, former Judge of the Fourth District Court (1858), candidate for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1864 and 1871, and candidate for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1869.
Swisshelm was a journalist and abolitionist and the first documented woman to receive a vote for governor in Minnesota.
Sources
- Journal of the Senate of the Fourth Session of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota, 1862 (p. 11).