1857 Election Cycle

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).

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10/13/1857 U.S. House General William W. (W.W.) Phelps (Democrat) won with 18,218 votes (17.33%) and a winning margin of +1.20
James Cavanaugh (Democrat) won with 18,064 votes (17.18%) and a winning margin of +1.05
George L. Becker (Democrat) won with 18,019 votes (17.14%) and a winning margin of +1.01
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
William W. (W.W.) Phelps Man Democrat 18,218 17.33
James Cavanaugh Man Democrat 18,064 17.18
George L. Becker Man Democrat 18,019 17.14
Cyrus Aldrich Man Republican 16,955 16.13
Morton S. Wilkinson Man Republican 16,938 16.11
Henry Swift Man Republican 16,937 16.11

It was expected Minnesota would receive three seats in the U.S. House but ulimately the state was only awared two. The three Democratic candidates drew lots and Becker lost.

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10/13/1857 Governor General Henry Hastings (H.H.) Sibley (Democrat) won with 17,790 votes (50.34%) and a winning margin of +0.68
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Henry Hastings (H.H.) Sibley Man Democrat 17,790 50.34
Alexander Ramsey Man Republican 17,550 49.66

This would stand as the most narrowly decided election until 1962 and remains the third most competitive in state history.

Sibley was a Wisconsin U.S. House territorial delegate (1848-1849), a Minnesota U.S. House territorial delegate (1849-1853), a member of the Minnesota Territorial House (HD 06, 1855), and member and president of the 1857 Minnesota Constitutional Convention.

Ramsey was a former U.S. Representative from Pennsylvania (1843-1847), Territorial Governor of Minnesota (1849-1853), and Mayor of St. Paul (1855).

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10/13/1857 Clerk of the Supreme Court General 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.

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10/13/1857 Lieutenant Governor General William Holcombe (Democrat) won with 18,210 votes (51.64%) and a winning margin of +3.28
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
William Holcombe Man Democrat 18,210 51.64
John Ide Man Republican 17,055 48.36

Holcombe was a carriage maker and steamboat captain from Stillwater.

Ide was a mechanic from Faribault and Territorial House Representative (HD 06, 1856-1857).

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