Treasurer, 1956 Election
General
| Candidate | Gender | Party | Votes | Percent | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Val Bjornson | Man | Republican | 694,072 | 50.14 | +0.27 |
| Arthur Hansen Incumbent | Man | Democratic-Farmer-Labor | 690,282 | 49.86 |
The 0.27-point victory margin is the closest for the office in Minnesota history, breaking the previous mark of 1.16 points when Republican incumbent Julius Schmahl defeated Farmer-Laborite Albert H. Kleffman in 1932.
Hansen became the fifth Treasurer to lose their seat at the ballot box, joining Anti-Monopolist Edwin Van Dyke in 1875, appointed Republican Edward Stark who lost the 1926 primary, Republican Julius Schmahl in 1936, and Farmer-Laborite C.A. Halverson in 1938.
Bjornson was a resident of St. Paul, former associate editor of the St. Paul Pioneer Press-Dispatch, former Treasurer (1951-1955), and GOP nominee for U.S. Senate in 1954.
Sources
- State of Minnesota Legislative Manual, 1957-1958 (p. 640).