Governor, 1944 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edward J. Thye Incumbent | Man | Republican | 701,185 | 61.59 | +23.81 |
| Byron G. Allen | Man | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 430,132 | 37.78 | |
| Gerald York | Man | Industrial Government | 7,151 | 0.63 |
Governor Thye, who succeeded Governor Harold Stassen after his resignation on April 27, 1943, was elected. Thye, a farmer from Northfield, was a former state Deputy Commissioner of Agriculture (1939-1942) and Lieutenant Governor (1943).
Allen owned a farm management and insurance business in Detroit Lakes, was an independent and Republican state Representative from Iowa (HD 77, 1927-1933), and director of the Iowa Old Age Assistance System (1934-1939). He was later appointed Minnesota Commissioner of Agriculture (1955-1961) and assistant U.S. Secretary of Agriculture (1961-1969).
York was a resident of Duluth and nominated by petition.
Sources
- The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota, 1945 (Abstract of Votes Polled for State Officers By Counties).