1891 Wisconsin Supreme Court election

none March 2025 March 2025 1891 Wisconsin Supreme Court election Wisconsin presidential no 1889 1892 (special) April 7, 1891 Silas U. Pinney (3x4a).png Silas U. Pinney c0c0c0 96,661 54.90% Eleazor Holmes Ellis (3x4 ).png Eleazor H. Ellis c0c0c0 77,312 43.91% Justice Orsamus Cole Silas U. Pinney 1881 Wisconsin Supreme Court Chief Justice election 1881 1899 Wisconsin Supreme Court special election 1899 (special) The 1891 Wisconsin Supreme Court election was held on Tuesday, April 7, 1891, to elect a justice to the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a ten-year term. Silas U. Pinney was elected to succeed retiring justice Orsamus Cole. Background The seat contested had originally been created as a chief justice's seat. However a state constitutional amendment ratified in 1889 converted all seats on the court to justices. This change meant that than the chief justice being its own unique seat, the chief justice would simply be selected by seniority (the longest-serving justice would be the chief justice). https://www.wicourts.gov/courts/history/index.htm History of the courts Wisconsin Court System April 7, 2023 This change meant that the seat up for election was no longer different from the other seats on the court. Campaign Incumbent justice Orsamus Cole (the chief justice) did not seek re-election to the seat. In 1890, when it was already rumored that Cole would likely retire rather than seek re-election, Silas U. Pinney was discussed as a top contender to succeed him. Pinney had previously been the Democratic nominee in the 1869 attorney general election, before which he had been widely rumored as a possible candidate in the 1868 Supreme Court election. https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-daily-milwaukee-news-pinney/157065890/ Silas U. Pinney The Daily Milwaukee News November 2, 1869 4 October 13, 2024 Newspapers.com Pinney formally launched his candidacy in December 1890, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oshkosh-northwestern-pinney-supreme/157120850/ Pinney in the Race Oshkosh Northwestern December 29, 1890 1 October 14, 2024 Newspapers.com and quickly secured a vast majority of support from within the state and regional bar associations. https://www.newspapers.com/article/chippewa-herald-telegram-pinney-supreme/157121237/ Unanimous for Pinney Chippewa Herald-Telegram December 31, 1890 1 October 14, 2024 Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-manitowoc-pilot-pinney-supreme-court/157121706/ All of the lawyers of this city The Manitowoc Pilot January 29, 1891 3 October 14, 2024 Newspapers.com His campaign had strong support from Republicans, but struggled to secure unified support from Democrats. Catholic leaders in the Democratic Party initially sought to organize against his candidacy, accusing Pinney of supporting the use of the protestant bible in school instruction, https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-oshkosh-northwestern-pinney/157120391/ The Catholic Citizen Oshkosh Northwestern August 1, 1890 2 October 14, 2024 Newspapers.com but Pinney eventually placated Catholic groups and earned their endorsements. https://www.newspapers.com/article/portage-daily-register-pinney-supreme-co/157121502/ Catholic opposition Portage Daily Register January 7, 1891 2 October 14, 2024 Newspapers.com The last lingering opposition to his candidacy came from the Democrats running the Milwaukee Journal, who took issue with Pinney's legal representation of the Republican former state treasurers Edward C. McFetridge and Henry B. Harshaw (who had both faced a politically-charged prosecution from Democratic attorney genera James L. O'Connor over alleged embezzlement). https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-appleton-crescent-treasurer-lawsuits/157122501/ Beginning of the End Appleton Crescent February 28, 1891 1 October 14, 2024 Newspapers.com https://www.newspapers.com/article/wisconsin-state-journal-pinney-supreme-c/157122583/ Neither Fair Nor Judicious Wisconsin State Journal March 6, 1891 2 October 14, 2024 Newspapers.com Democratic discontent with Pinney ultimately motivated the candidacy of Eleazor H. Ellis (a circuit judge). Ellis ran a strong campaign, but Pinney ultimtaley prevailed with 55% of the vote. https://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/XWAJOZCVI4X3Q8O The Blue Book of the State of Wisconsin 1893 State of Wisconsin Cunningham Thomas J. Election Statistics 308 October 14, 2024 Result 1891 Wisconsin Supreme Court election | colspan="6" style="text-align:center;background-color: #e9e9e9;"| General Election, April 7, 1891 Nonpartisan politician Silas U. Pinney 96,661 54.90 Nonpartisan politician Eleazor H. Ellis 77,312 43.91 Scattering 2,082 1.18 176,055 100 References Category:Wisconsin Supreme Court elections supreme court Wisconsin Supreme Court election Wisconsin