Supreme Court Chief Justice, 1874 Election
General
| Date: | November 3, 1874 |
| Cycle: | 1874 |
| Office: | Supreme Court Chief Justice |
| State: | Minnesota |
| District: | Statewide |
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samuel J.R. (S.J.R.) McMillan Incumbent | Man | Nonpartisan | 51,506 | 55.53 | +11.20 |
| Wescott Wilkin | Man | Nonpartisan | 41,120 | 44.33 |
Associate Justice McMillan (1864-1874) was appointed Chief Justice by Governor Cushman Davis after the resignation of Charles Ripley in March 1874 due to ill health. Chief Justice McMillan resigned after getting elected to the U.S. Senate on February 19, 1875. Governor Davis appointed former Chief Justice James Gilfillan (1869-1870) to fill the vacancy on March 10, 1875.
Wilkin was a resident of St. Paul and Ramsey County district court judge. He was endorsed by the Democrats.
Sources
- Journal of the House of Representatives of the Seventeenth Session of the Legislature of the State of Minnesota, 1875 (p. 19).