The 1962 Minnesota gubernatorial election was the closest statewide race in
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...
history and one of the closest gubernatorial elections in U.S. history. The election was held on November 6, 1962, but the results were not known until March 21, 1963. The vote count after election day had Governor
Elmer L. Andersen
Elmer Lee Andersen (June 17, 1909 – November 15, 2004) was an American businessman, philanthropist, and politician who built a successful business career with the H. B. Fuller Company. Andersen was most notably the 30th Governor of Minnesota ...
in the lead by 142 votes. Then-Lieutenant Governor
Karl Rolvaag
Karl Fritjof Rolvaag (July 18, 1913 – December 20, 1990) was an American diplomat and politician who served as the 31st Governor of Minnesota from March 25, 1963, to January 2, 1967, as a member of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party. ...
went to court and won the right to a recount.
After the recount, it was determined that Rolvaag had defeated Andersen by 91 votes out of over 1.2 million cast. He received 619,842 votes to Andersen's 619,751.
At the time, governors and
lieutenant governors
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
were elected on separate ballots. Andersen was a Republican and Rolvaag a Democrat. The 1962 election was also the first four-year term election for Minnesota governor.
Results
See also
*
List of Minnesota gubernatorial elections
{{ElectionsMN
Results and election information for past Minnesota governor races. The first election was in 1857 ahead of Minnesota becoming a state. Elections were set for every two years beginning in 1859. In 1886 elections were moved from odd ye ...
References
External links
* http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=653
* http://www.sos.state.mn.us/home/index.asp?page=657
Gubernatorial
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...
1962
Events January
* January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand.
* January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism.
* January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wo ...
Minnesota
Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the List of U.S. states and territories by population, 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minne ...
November 1962 events in the United States
{{Minnesota-election-stub