Auditor, 1978 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arne Carlson | Man | Independent-Republican | 773,150 | 51.83 | +5.18 |
| Robert W. (Bob) Mattson, Jr. Incumbent | Man | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 695,943 | 46.66 | |
| Helen S. Kruth | Woman | Communist | 22,576 | 1.51 |
Mattson was the third Auditor to lose reelection joining Democrat Adolph Biermann in 1894 and Republican Rolland Hatfield in 1974.
Carlson was a former Minneapolis City Councilman (1965-1966) and sitting state Representative (HD 36, 1971-1973; HD 58B, 1973-1979).
Kruth was a retiree from Minneapolis and Communist nominee for Treasurer in 1982 and 1986.
Sources
- State of Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1979-1980 (p. 491).