Dell was appointed from his Associate Justice seat to Chief Justice of the Supreme Court by Governor C. Elmer Anderson on July 16, 1953 following the resignation of Chief Justice Charles Loring on July 15, 1953 to retire from public office.
Melin was an attorney from Minneapolis making his eighth of 12 bids for the Court. Melin was also a candidate for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1942, 1944, and 1946, nominee for Associate Justice of the Supreme Court in 1948, 1950, 1952, 1956, 1958, and 1962, and candidate for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1934 and 1960.