Elected by the state legislature with each chamber voting separately. Windom was the only candidate nominated and received a unanimous vote in the state Senate of all 13 members present. Windom won 30 of 47 votes in the state House with 14 for Jones and one each for Wilkerson, Buck, and Wilson. The legislature declared Windom the duly elected U.S. Senator in a joint convention on January 18, 1871.
Windom was a former five-term U.S. Representative (At-large, 1859-1863; CD 01, 1863-1869).
Jones was an attorney from Rochester and sitting state Representative (HD 12, 1871-1872; HD 10, 1872-1873, 1879-1881).
Wilkinson was an attorney from Stillwater, former territorial Representative (HD 02, 1849-1850), Ramsey County Register of Deeds (1851-1853), and U.S. Senator (1859-1865).
Buck was an attorney from Winona, Democratic nominee for the 1st CD in 1870, and sitting state Senator (SD 11, 1870-1872).
Wilson was a former Associate Justice (1864-1865) and Chief Justice (1865-1869) of the Minnesota Supreme Court.