1998 Minnesota Secretary of State election

1998 Minnesota Secretary of State election

3 November 1998

Nominee Mary Kiffmeyer Edwina Garcia Alan Shilepsky Party Republican Democratic (DFL) Reform Popular vote 928,576 818,236 192,997 Percentage 46.75% 41.20% 9.72%

County results Kiffmeyer:      40–50%      50–60% Garcia:      40–50%      50–60%

Secretary of State before election Joan Growe Democratic (DFL) Elected Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer Republican

The 1998 Minnesota Secretary of State election was held on 3 November 1998 in order to elect the Secretary of State of Minnesota. Republican nominee Mary Kiffmeyer defeated Democratic–Farmer–Labor nominee and incumbent member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 63B district Edwina Garcia, Reform nominee Alan Shilepsky and Libertarian nominee Kenneth Iverson.

Reform primary

The Reform Party primary was held on 11 September 1998, and featured Alan Shilepsky as the sole candidate. He was subsequently elected with 100.00% of the vote.

Results

Reform primary election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Reform	Alan Shilepsky	13,905	100.00
Total votes			13,905	100.00

Democratic–Farmer–Labor primary

The Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party primary was held on 15 September 1998, and featured incumbent member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from the 63B district Edwina Garcia, Jennifer Mattson, Dick Franson and Gregg A. Iverson as possible candidates. Garcia won the primary with 36.27% of the vote.

Results

Reform primary election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic (DFL)	Edwina Garcia	149,400	36.27
	Democratic (DFL)	Jennifer Mattson	116,092	28.18
	Democratic (DFL)	Dick Franson	75,156	18.24
	Democratic (DFL)	Gregg A. Iverson	71,297	17.31
Total votes			411,945	100.00

Republican primary

The Republican Party primary was held on 15 September 1998, and featured Mary Kiffmeyer and Don Koenig as candidates. Kiffmeyer won the primary with 55.36% of the vote.

Results

Republican primary election results

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mary Kiffmeyer	71,678	55.36
	Republican	Don Koenig	57,799	44.64
Total votes			129,477	100.00

General election

On election day, 3 November 1998, Republican nominee Mary Kiffmeyer won the election by a margin of 110,340 votes against her foremost opponent Democratic–Farmer–Labor nominee Edwina Garcia, thereby gaining Republican control over the office of Secretary of State. Kiffmeyer was sworn in as the 20th Secretary of State of Minnesota on 3 January 1999.

Results

Minnesota Secretary of State election, 1998

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Mary Kiffmeyer	928,576	46.75
	Democratic (DFL)	Edwina Garcia	818,236	41.20
	Reform	Alan Shilepsky	192,997	9.72
	Libertarian	Kenneth Iverson	44,663	2.25
	Write-in		1,742	0.08
Total votes			1,986,214	100.00
	Republican gain from Democratic (DFL)