Associate Justice Matson was reelected to a third term. Matson died in office on February 28, 1960. Governor Orville Freeman appointed Lee Loevinger to fill the vacancy on March 7, 1960. Loevinger was an attorney from Minneapolis and visiting professor at the University of Minnesota. Loevinger resigned on March 10, 1961 to become Assistant U.S. Attorney General. Governor Elmer Andersen appointed James C. Otis to fill the vacancy on March 16, 1961. Otis was an attorney from St. Paul, sitting Second Judicial District Judge, and former Ramsey County municipal court judge.
Melin was an attorney from Minneapolis making his ninth 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, 1958, and 1962, nominee for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1954, and candidate for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1934 and 1960.