Governor, 1890 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| William R. (W.R.) Merriam Incumbent | Man | Republican | 88,111 | 36.58 | +0.94 |
| Thomas (Thos.) Wilson | Man | Democrat | 85,844 | 35.64 | |
| Sidney (S.M.) Owen | Man | Farmers' Alliance | 58,513 | 24.29 | |
| James P. Pinkham | Man | Prohibition | 8,424 | 3.50 |
This marked the second gubernatorial election decided by less than a point and first since 1857.
Governor Merriam was reelected to a second term but this was the first time a Minnesotan was elected governor with less than 40 percent of the vote.
Wilson was an attorney from Winona, Minnesota Supreme Court Justice (1864-1869), state Representative (HD, 1881-1883), state Senator (SD 15, 1883-1887), and U.S. Representative (CD 01, 1887-1889).
Owen was a Minneapolis farm journal editor.
Pinkham, a minister from Minneapolis, was the Prohibition nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1886, the U.S. House for the 4th CD in 1888 and an at-large Minnesota delegation member to the 1888 Prohibition Party National Convention.
Related Reports
- Johnson vs Dayton: Out with the Old, In with the Young? (September 11, 2014)
- Will Minnesotans Elect a Plurality-Winning Governor for a 4th Straight Cycle? (June 6, 2010)
Sources
- The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota, 1891 (p. 555).