Governor, 1886 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andrew R. (A.R.) McGill | Man | Republican | 107,064 | 48.55 | +1.18 |
| Albert Alonzo (A.A.) Ames | Man | Democrat | 104,464 | 47.37 | |
| James E. (J.E.) Child | Man | Prohibition | 8,966 | 4.07 |
This was the first time a Minnesotan was elected governor with a plurality of the vote and the most competitive gubernatorial election since Minnesota's first election for the office in 1857 when Democrat Henry Sibley beat Alexander Ramsey by 0.68 points.
McGill was Minnesota Insurance Agency Commissioner and a former Superintendent of Nicollet County Schools, former clerk of Nicollet County District Court, and private secretary to Governor Horace Austin. He later served in the state Senate until his death (SD 37, 1899-1905).
Ames was a physician and Mayor of Minneapolis who served multiple nonconsecutive terms in that office over the course of multiple decades (1876-77, 1882-84, 1886-89, 1901-02). Ames was also the Democratic U.S. House nominee for the 4th CD seat in 1882.
Child was an attorney and editor of the Waseca Herald. He was also a former Waseca County Attorney, Superintendent of Public Schools, state Representative (HD 16, 1861-1862; HD 13, 1874-1875; HD 06, 1883-1885), and state Senator (SD 13, 1872-1873).
Sources
- The Worthington Advance, January 6, 1887 (p. 2). The Rochester Post, January 7, 1887 (p. 1). Abstract of Votes Polled for State Officers By Counties, November 2, 1886.