Treasurer, 1956 Election

General

Date: November 6, 1956
Cycle: 1956
Office: Treasurer
State: Minnesota
District: Statewide
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent Margin
Val Bjornson Man Republican 694,072 50.14 +0.27
Arthur Hansen Incumbent Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 690,282 49.86

The 0.27-point victory margin is the closest for the office in Minnesota history, breaking the previous mark of 1.16 points when Republican incumbent Julius Schmahl defeated Farmer-Laborite Albert H. Kleffman in 1932.

Hansen became the fifth Treasurer to lose their seat at the ballot box, joining Anti-Monopolist Edwin Van Dyke in 1875, appointed Republican Edward Stark who lost the 1926 primary, Republican Julius Schmahl in 1936, and Farmer-Laborite C.A. Halverson in 1938.

Bjornson was a resident of St. Paul, former associate editor of the St. Paul Pioneer Press-Dispatch, former Treasurer (1951-1955), and GOP nominee for U.S. Senate in 1954.

Sources

  • State of Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1957-1958 (p. 640).