Railroad & Warehouse Commissioner, 1944 Election

General

Date: November 7, 1944
Cycle: 1944
Office: Railroad & Warehouse Commissioner
State: Minnesota
District: Statewide
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent Margin
Frank W. Matson Incumbent Man Republican 623,890 59.22 +18.45
Viena P. Johnson Woman Democratic-Farmer-Labor 429,544 40.78

The election for this seat was for a six-year term.

Commissioner Matson was reelected in his campaign for a fifth nonconsecutive term. Matson died in office on May 29, 1949. Governor Luther Youngdahl appointed Minneapolis Attorney Leonard Lindquist to fill the vacancy on June 21, 1949.

Johnson was a resident of St. Paul and former executive secretary for the state Farmer-Labor association. She was the first woman to appear on a primary or general election ballot for Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner and the only woman in the state to be nominated for the office.

Sources

  • The Legislative Manual of the State of Minnesota, 1945 (Abstract of Votes Polled for State Officers By Counties).