This election was conducted approximately seven months prior to statehood on May 11, 1858.
Democrats swept all statewide offices at the ballot box: Governor (Henry Sibley), Lieutenant Governor (William Holcombe), Secretary of State (Francis Baasen), Auditor (William Dunbar), Attorney General (Charles Berry), Treasurer (George Armstrong), Clerk of the Supreme Court (Jacob Noah), and both at-large U.S. House seats (W.W. Phelps and James Cavanaugh). Democrats would not win another statewide election until 1873 (Treasurer Edwin Dyke) and only two others before the turn of the century (Auditor Adolph Biermann on the Democratic-Alliance ticket in 1890 and Governor John Lind in 1898 on the Democratic-People's ticket).
At this point in state history, elections for the Supreme Court were nonpartisan with a Chief Justice (Lafayette Emmett) and two Associate Justices (Isaac Atwater and Charles Flandrau). Until the early 1880s, elections for Auditor and Supreme Court clerk would be held every three years with elections for other constitutional offices held every two (odd-numbered) years.
In December 1857 the state legisalture elected Henry Rice and James Shields to the U.S. Senate.
There were 26 districts drawn for the First Legislature totaling 37 Senate seats and 80 House seats. The number of senators in a district ranged from one to three and the number of representatives from one to six.
Elections
Date
Office
Stage
Winners
Details
12/19/1857
U.S. Senate
General
Henry M. Rice (Democrat) won with 66 votes (28.45%) and a winning margin of +5.17
James Shields (Democrat) won with 61 votes (26.29%) and a winning margin of +3.02
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Henry M. Rice
Man
Democrat
66
28.45
James Shields
Man
Democrat
61
26.29
Henry D. Huff
Man
Republican
54
23.28
David Cooper
Man
Republican
50
21.55
Alexander Ramsey
Man
Republican
1
0.43
Elected by the state legislature in a joint convention. Drawing lots, Shields won election to the Class II seat expiring March 3, 1859 and Rice to the Class I seat expiring March 3, 1863.
Rice was nominated by the Democrats on December 15, 1857 receiving a majority of 56 of 61 votes on the first ballot. Shields was nominated on the fourth ballot outlasting three other Democrats: Frank Steele, Willis A. Gorman, and Joseph R. Brown.
Rice was a two-term Democratic U.S. Delegate (1853-1857). Shields was a former Governor of Oregon Territory (1848-1849) and U.S. Senator from Illinois (1849-1855).
Huff was an organizer of Winona County and founder of the Winona Express.
Cooper was a former Associate Justice of the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1849-1853).
Ramsey was a former Whig U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (CD 14, 1843-1847), Minnesota Territorial Governor (1849-1853), and Mayor of St. Paul (1855).
Isaac (I.) Atwater (Nonpartisan) won with 18,199 votes (25.86%) and a winning margin of +1.63
Charles E. Flandrau (Nonpartisan) won with 18,110 votes (25.73%) and a winning margin of +1.50
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Isaac (I.) Atwater
Man
Nonpartisan
18,199
25.86
Charles E. Flandrau
Man
Nonpartisan
18,110
25.73
John M. (J.M.) Berry
Man
Nonpartisan
17,052
24.23
Harrison Billings
Man
Nonpartisan
17,026
24.19
Two associate justices were elected in this race.
Atwater was an attorney, newspaper publisher, and member of the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota from Saint Anthony. Atwater resigned effective July 1, 1864 to move to the Nevada Territory. Governor Stephen Miller appointed Third Judicial District Judge Thomas Wilson of Winona to fill the vacancy.
Flandrau was an attorney from Traverse des Sioux, former territorial Representative (HD 10, 1856-1857), and sitting appointed judge on the Minnesota Territorial Supreme Court (1857-1858); Flandrau resigned effective July 1, 1864 to move to the Nevada Territory. Governor Stephen Miller appointed First Judicial District Judge Samuel McMillan of St. Paul to fill the vacancy.
Berry was an attorney from Faribault, Territorial Representative (HD 08, 1857), eventual state Senator (SD 08, 1863-1865) and state Supreme Court Associate Justice (1865-1887).
Billings was a member of the Minnesota constitutional convention and attorney from Spring Valley who would later serve as the Fillmore County Clerk of Court.
Lafayette Emmett (Nonpartisan) won with 18,169 votes (51.41%) and a winning margin of +2.82
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Lafayette Emmett
Man
Nonpartisan
18,169
51.41
Horace Bigelow
Man
Nonpartisan
17,173
48.59
This initial election remains the most narrowly decided contest for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in Minnesota history. Only five such elections have been decided by less than 10 points (1857, 1869, 1912, 1924, 1950).
Emmett was a former prosecuting attorney in Knox County, Ohio and Minnesota Territorial Attorney General (1853-1858) from St. Paul.
Jacob J. (J.J.) Noah (Democrat) won with 18,136 votes (51.59%) and a winning margin of +3.19
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Jacob J. (J.J.) Noah
Man
Democrat
18,136
51.59
Alexander (A.B.) Russell
Man
Republican
17,015
48.41
While most constitutional officers were elected to two-year terms, Clerk of the Supreme Court and Auditor were elected to three-year terms until the 1880s.
Noah was an attorney from St. Paul.
Russell was editor and publisher of the Shakopee Republican Advocate.