The 1944 Minnesota gubernatorial election took place on November 7, 1944. Republican Party of Minnesota candidate Edward John Thye defeated Minnesota DemocraticâÂÂFarmerâÂÂLabor Party challenger Byron G. Allen. As the Democratic Party of Minnesota and FarmerâÂÂLabor Party merged earlier in the year, this was the first gubernatorial election in which the parties ran a combined ticket. The vote change below reflects the departure from the combined Democratic and FarmerâÂÂLabor totals in 1942.