Public Service Commissioner
State Executive Office
Elections: 1968-1972. On May 25, 1967, the legislature created the a three-member Public Service Commission under the Department of Public Service. Members from the Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner served out their term on the Commission and were eligible for reelection for one six-year term through the 1972 cycle. Thereafter members of the Public Service Commission were appointed by the governor with advice and consent of the state Senate.
Most recent elections
Date
Office
Stage
Winners
Details
11/07/1972
Public Service Commissioner
General
Karl Rolvaag (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 863,200 votes (51.70%) and a winning margin of +3.39
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Karl Rolvaag
Man
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
863,200
51.70
P. Kenneth (P.K.) Peterson
Incumbent
Man
Republican
806,552
48.30
Following the 1972 election, seats on the Public Service Commission were filled via gubernatorial appointment.
Rolvaag was a former Lieutenant Governor (1955-1963), Governor (1963-1967), and U.S. Ambassador to Iceland (1967-1969).
Peterson was Chair of the Public Service Commission. Peterson's loss was the 14th defeat by a Railroad / Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner / Public Service Commissioner at the ballot box following Anti-Monopolist Alonzo Edgerton in 1875, Republican-turned-Prohibitionist William Marshall in 1881, Democratic-People's nominees Peter Rindal and Thomas Knox in 1900, Republican Christian Laurisch in 1934, Republican Frank Matson in 1936, Farmer-Laborite Harold Atwood in 1938, Farmer-Laborite Charles Munn in 1940, Republican Rollin Johnson in the 1944 GOP primary and 1948 general election, Republican Elling Knutson in the 1952 GOP primary, Clifford Peterson in the 1954 DFL primary, and Republican Wally Lund in 1958.
P. Kenneth (P.K.) Peterson (Republican) won with 159,782 votes (100.00%) and a winning margin of +100.00
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
P. Kenneth (P.K.) Peterson
Incumbent
Man
Republican
159,782
100.00
Commissioner Peterson was renominated without opposition in his campaign for a second term. He had been elected once to the Railroad and Warehouse Commission. Peterson was Chair of the Public Service Commission.
Karl Rolvaag (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 114,502 votes (46.29%) and a winning margin of +21.08
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Karl Rolvaag
Man
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
114,502
46.29
Bill Walker
Man
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
62,360
25.21
William R. (W.R.) Youngdahl
Man
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
60,847
24.60
William Quady
Man
Democratic-Farmer-Labor
9,673
3.91
Rolvaag was a former Lieutenant Governor (1955-1963), Governor (1963-1967), and U.S. Ambassador to Iceland (1967-1969).
Walker was a state Representative (HD 58A, 1971-1973) from Pine River and publisher of the Pequot Lakes Country Echo newspaper. Youndahl was a Minneapolis resident, a plant protection officer at Twin Cities Arsenal, former Lansing, Michigan School Board member, and 1966 DFL Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner nominee.
Quady was a private investigator from Minneapolis and former Minneapolis police officer.