1978 Minnesota Secretary of State election

{{short description|none}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 1978 Minnesota Secretary of State election

| country = Minnesota

| type = Presidential

| ongoing = no

| previous_election = 1974 Minnesota Secretary of State election

| previous_year = 1974

| next_election = 1982 Minnesota Secretary of State election

| next_year = 1982

| election_date = 7 November 1978

| image1 = 125px

| nominee1 = Joan Growe

| party1 = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

| popular_vote1 = 788,253

| percentage1 = 52.13%

| image2 = 125px

| nominee2 = Gerald Brekke

| party2 = Independent-Republican Party

| popular_vote2 = 664,829

| percentage2 = 43.97%

| map_image = 1978 MN SOS election.svg

| map_size =

| map_caption = County results

Growe: {{legend0|#A5B0FF|40–50%}} {{legend0|#7996e2|50–60%}}{{legend0|#6674de|60–70%}}
Brekke: {{legend0|#FFB2B2|40–50%}} {{legend0|#E27F7F|50–60%}} {{legend0|#D75D5D|60–70%}}

| title = Secretary of State

| before_election = Joan Growe

| before_party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

| after_election = Joan Growe

| after_party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

}}

{{ElectionsMN}}

The 1978 Minnesota Secretary of State election was held on 7 November 1978 in order to elect the Secretary of State of Minnesota. Democratic–Farmer–Labor nominee and incumbent Secretary of State Joan Growe defeated Independent-Republican nominee Gerald Brekke and American Party nominee Dianna Jenkins.{{cite web |url=https://mn.electionarchives.lib.umn.edu/election/2319781099922600/ |title=Secretary of State, 1978 Election |publisher=electionarchives.lib.umn.edu |date= |access-date=4 October 2024}}

General election

On election day, 7 November 1978, Democratic–Farmer–Labor nominee Joan Growe won re-election by a margin of 123,424 votes against her foremost opponent Independent-Republican nominee Gerald Brekke, thereby retaining Democratic–Farmer–Labor control over the office of Secretary of State. Growe was sworn in for her second term on 3 January 1979.{{cite web |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=37423 |title=MN Secretary of State |publisher=ourcampaigns.com |date=29 March 2004 |access-date=4 October 2024}}

= Results =

{{Election box begin no change | title=Minnesota Secretary of State election, 1978|

}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link no change|

|party = Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

|candidate = Joan Growe (incumbent)

|votes = 788,253

|percentage = 52.13

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = Independent-Republican Party

|candidate = Gerald Brekke

|votes = 664,829

|percentage = 43.97

}}

{{Election box candidate with party link no change|

|party = American Party (1969)

|candidate = Dianna Jenkins

|votes = 59,031

|percentage = 3.90

}}

{{Election box total no change|

|votes = 1,512,113

|percentage = 100.00

}}

{{Election box hold with party link no change|

|winner= Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party

|loser =

}}

{{Election box end}}

References