Clerk of the Supreme Court State Judicial Office

Elections: 1857-1954. Elections for Clerk of the Supreme Court were held for three-year terms through the 1881 cycle. A constitutional amendment was passed in 1883 requiring state elections to be held in even-numbered years beginning in 1886 with the winner of Clerk of the Supreme Court in 1881 serving a five-year term. From 1886 through 1954, elections for this office were held for four-year terms. However, a constitutional amendment passed during the November 1956 general election making Clerk of the Supreme Court an appointed office. Primaries for Clerk of the Supreme Court were first held in September 1912. There were never term limits for this office.

Most recent elections

Date Office Stage Winners Details
11/02/1954 Clerk of the Supreme Court General Frank (J.F.) Larkin (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 600,648 votes (54.36%) and a winning margin of +8.73
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Frank (J.F.) Larkin Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 600,648 54.36
Grace F. Kaercher Incumbent Woman Republican 504,242 45.64

Clerk of Court Kaercher Davis became the first incumbent to be unseated in general elections twice (1934, 1954).

Larkin was a milk-route driver and farmer from Hopkins and nominee for HD 36 in 1948. Larkin's election spurred the legislature to put forth a constitutional amendment making this office appointed. The amendment was passed on the November 6, 1956 general election ballot and long-serving Deputy Clerk of Court Mae Sherman was appointed to the position by Governor Orville Freeman effective December 1, 1956. Larkin, who was in the midst of a four-year term, became Deputy Clerk of Court.

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09/14/1954 Clerk of the Supreme Court Primary Frank (J.F.) Larkin (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 156,387 votes (51.93%) and a winning margin of +26.42
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Frank (J.F.) Larkin Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 156,387 51.93
Curtis H. Hanson Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 76,822 25.51
Charles Joseph (Charlie) Johnson Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 67,962 22.57

Larkin was a milk-route driver and farmer from Hopkins and nominee for HD 36 in 1948.

Hanson was a mortgage loan officer for Nickes & Smith Co. and a resident of Richfield.

Johnson was a salesman Wabasha, Farmer-Labor candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1940 and for Treasurer in 1942, and DFL candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1944, for Secretary of State in 1970, for HD 02B in 1971's special, and for HD 25B in 1972.

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09/14/1954 Clerk of the Supreme Court Primary Grace F. Kaercher (Republican) won with 136,100 votes (54.56%) and a winning margin of +30.75
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Grace F. Kaercher Incumbent Woman Republican 136,100 54.56
Walt (W.J.) Werner Man Republican 59,410 23.82
Eric R. Ahlstrand Man Republican 53,922 21.62

Clerk of the Supreme Court Kaercher Davis was renominated.

Werner was a salesman from Blue Earth. He was a candidate for several state legislative races: HD 07 in 1942's special and 1946, HD 55 in 1950 and 1954 , and SD 07 in 1944's special. He was also a Republican candidate for Governor in 1948 and 1956, and Lieutenant Governor in 1952.

Ahlstrand was a resident of St. Louis Park and Republican candidate for the 3rd CD in 1944.

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11/07/1950 Clerk of the Supreme Court General Grace F. Kaercher (Republican) won with 499,670 votes (51.07%) and a winning margin of +2.14
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Grace F. Kaercher Incumbent Woman Republican 499,670 51.07
Charles R. Gallagher Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 478,716 48.93

Clerk of the Supreme Court Kaercher Davis was reelected to a seventh nonconsecutive term.

Gallagher was a truck operator from Minneapolis and candidate for Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner in 1954.

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09/12/1950 Clerk of the Supreme Court Primary Charles R. Gallagher (Democratic-Farmer-Labor) won with 98,818 votes (48.11%) and a winning margin of +31.16
Candidate Gender Party Votes Percent
Charles R. Gallagher Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 98,818 48.11
Louis E. Lerman Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 34,813 16.95
Charles J. Petersen Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 31,624 15.40
Victor E. Johnson Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 30,012 14.61
Martin E. Linfelser Man Democratic-Farmer-Labor 10,121 4.93

Gallagher was a truck operator from Minneapolis and candidate for Railroad and Warehouse Commissioner in 1954.

Lerman was a resident of Mahtomedi and president of Group Health Mutual and party-endorsed candidate.

Peterson was a postal worker from St. Paul and DFL nominee for Clerk of the Supreme Court Clerk in 1950.

Johnson was a resident of LeSueur. He was a Republican candidate for Lieutenant Governor in 1942 and DFL candidate for Governor in 1946.

Linfelser was a resident of St. Paul and candidate for Clerk of the Supreme Court in 1946.

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