In January, the state legislature reelected Republican U.S. Senator William Windom to the chamber.
In November, Republicans continued to dominate Minnesota politics sweeping all six statewide offices led by Governor John Pillsbury at the top of the ticket winning a record third term. Railroad Commissioner William Marshall also won a third term. Despite turnover in the offices of Lieutenant Governor (C.A. Gilman), Secretary of State (Fred Von Baumbach), Attorney General (Charles Start) and Treasurer (Charles Kittelson) all six GOP nominees were victorious by at least 14 points.
Elections
Date
Office
Stage
Winners
Details
11/04/1879
Lieutenant Governor
General
Charles A. (C.A.) Gilman (Republican) won with 59,763 votes (56.23%) and a winning margin of +19.78
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Charles A. (C.A.) Gilman
Man
Republican
59,763
56.23
Edward (E.P.) Barnum
Man
Democrat
38,736
36.44
Isaac (I.M.) Westfall
Man
Greenback-Labor
4,148
3.90
A.B. Williams
Man
Prohibition
3,642
3.43
The official canvass did not include the results of Watonwan County due to the county auditor mislabeling the envelope when submitting county and state election results to the Secretary of State. The results above include the tally from Watonwan.
This marked the 10th consecutive GOP victory for the office.
Gilman was an attorney from St. Cloud, former state Senator (SD 03, 1868-1870), and state Representative (HD 31, 1875-1880; HD 45, 1915-1917).
Barnum, a resident of Sauk Centre, was Chairman of the Board of Stearns County Commissioners.
Westfall was a physician from Rochester and former State Senator (SD 10, 1874-1876).
Charles M. (C.M.) Start (Republican) won with 60,816 votes (57.28%) and a winning margin of +20.92
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Charles M. (C.M.) Start
Man
Republican
60,816
57.28
P.M. Babcock
Man
Democrat
38,604
36.36
Oscar Stephenson
Man
Greenback-Labor
4,064
3.83
Alfred W. Bangs
Man
Prohibition
2,697
2.54
The official canvass did not include the results of Watonwan County due to the county auditor mislabeling the envelope when submitting county and state election results to the Secretary of State. The results above include the tally from Watonwan.
Start was an attorney from Rochester and Olmsted County Attorney who resigned on March 12, 1881 after being appointed to the Third Judicial District Court. Governor John Pillsbury appointed Republican attorney William Hahn to fill the vacated seat. In 1894, Start was elected Chief Justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court.
Babcock was a Hennepin County attorney.
Stephenson was an attorney from Ramsey County, former Ramsey County probate judge, and former Democratic state Representative (HD 02, 1859-1861).
Bangs was later elected to the South Dakota Senate as a Democrat (1889-1890).
William R. Marshall (Republican) won with 60,651 votes (56.95%) and a winning margin of +20.12
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
William R. Marshall
Incumbent
Man
Republican
60,651
56.95
William Colville
Man
Democrat
39,229
36.84
Ebenezer Ayres
Man
Greenback-Labor
4,043
3.80
Charles Griswold
Man
Prohibition
2,568
2.41
The official canvass did not include the results of Watonwan County due to the county auditor mislabeling the envelope when submitting county and state election results to the Secretary of State. The results above include the tally from Watonwan.
Commissioner Marshall was reelected to a fourth term.
Colville was an attorney from Red Wing, former Republican state Representative (HD 09, 1865-1866), former Republican Attorney General (1866-1868), and sitting Democrat state Representative (HD 16, 1878-1879).
Ayres was a farmer from Cottage Grove, former state Representative (HD 02, 1867-1868; HD 22, 1872-1873), Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor in 1873, Greenback nominee for Railroad Commissioner in 1877, and Greenback nominee for the 3rd CD in 1880.
Charles Kittelson (Republican) won with 60,599 votes (56.93%) and a winning margin of +20.00
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Charles Kittelson
Man
Republican
60,599
56.93
Lyman E. Cowdery
Man
Democrat
39,312
36.93
Joseph Goar
Man
Greenback-Labor
3,964
3.72
John M. Dunham
Man
Prohibition
2,573
2.42
The official canvass did not include the results of Watonwan County due to the county auditor mislabeling the envelope when submitting county and state election results to the Secretary of State. The results above include the tally from Watonwan.
Kittelson was a resident of Albert Lea and Freeborn County Treasurer.
Cowdery was the former register of deeds for Olmsted county and sitting Mayor of Rochester.
Goar was a farmer from Morristown and Greenback nominee for Railroad Comissioner in 1881.
Fred Von Baumbach (Republican) won with 60,430 votes (56.71%) and a winning margin of +19.68
Candidate
Gender
Party
Votes
Percent
Fred Von Baumbach
Man
Republican
60,430
56.71
Felix A. (F.A.) Borer
Man
Democrat
39,464
37.03
Alexander (A.P.) Lane
Man
Greenback-Labor
4,139
3.88
Isaac C. (I.C.) Stearns
Man
Prohibition
2,528
2.37
The official canvass did not include the results of Watonwan County due to the county auditor mislabeling the envelope when submitting county and state election results to the Secretary of State. The results above include the tally from Watonwan.
Baumbach was Auditor of Douglas County.
Borer was an attorney from Le Sueur County.
Lane was a resident of Champlin and the Republican nominee for state Auditor in 1857.
Stearns was a farmer from Zumbrota and a former state Reprsentative (HD 06, 1859-1861).