Governor, 1944 Election
Primary Democratic-Farmer-Labor
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Byron G. Allen | Man | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 56,950 | 56.10 | +19.43 |
| Emil E. Holmes | Man | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 37,230 | 36.67 | |
| Mabel Caroline Wiesner | Woman | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 7,338 | 7.23 |
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).
Holmes was a resident of Minneapolis, former Farmer-Labor nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1924, and state campaign manager for 1936 Union Party presidential nominee William Lemke. Holmes unsuccessfully sued the state to be listed on the ballot as a Democrat as he filed before the merger of the Democratic and Farmer-Labor parties in April 1944.
Wiesner was a resident of Minneapolis and first woman to appear on a primary or general election Minnesota gubernatorial ballot.
Sources
- The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota, 1943 (p. 175).