The 1861 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on October 8, 1861. Republican incumbent governor Alexander Ramsey defeated Democratic mayor Edward O. Hamlin.
The Republicans unanimously renominated Ramsey. The Democratic State Convention met on September 12, 1861. Hamlin was nominated by acclamation.
Candidates Alexander Ramsey, incumbent governor (Republican) Edward O. Hamlin, mayor of St. Cloud (Democratic) William Dike (People's Union) (withdrew)
General election Campaigns These were the first state elections held during the American Civil War. In Minnesota and other Union states, some Republicans and War Democrats favored the suspension of party politics for the duration of the conflict. These groups held a nonpartisan state convention that nominated Republican William Dike for governor and Democrat Christopher Columbus Andrews for lieutenant governor on the People's Union ticket. Ramsey and other Minnesota Republicans strongly opposed the Union Party scheme, which they viewed as a Democratic strategy to recoup the party's lagging fortunes in the state. Dike withdrew from the race under pressure, clearing the way for a Republican landslide victory in the general election.
Results
References
Bibliography
Further reading Minnesota Historical Election Archive