Associate Justice Otis was appointed to the Court by Governor Elmer Andersen on March 16, 1961 to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Lee Loevinger on March 10, 1961 to become Assistant U.S. Attorney General. 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 12th and final campaign 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, and 1958, nominee for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1954, and candidate for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in 1934 and 1960.