Minnesota: One for the Courts

The recount for Minnesota’s governorship was at last complete—but the winner’s circle was still too crowded. Republicans claimed that Incumbent Elmer L. Andersen had been re-elected by 102 votes; Democrats insisted that Lieutenant Governor Karl Rolvaag won by 164.

Particularly at issue were 358 ballots that had been marked not only for Andersen or Rolvaag, but also for one William Braatz, gubernatorial candidate of Minnesota’s Industrial Government Party. If these were included in the major candidates’ totals, Rolvaag would be the winner; if they were thrown out, Andersen would stay in office.

The contested ballots are to be submitted to a panel of three district court judges; whatever the panel decides, the loser is almost certain to take the issue to the state Supreme Court. Until it reaches a decision, Elmer Andersen remains Governor—on about as precarious a political perch as ever existed anywhere.