The fourth Minnesota Legislature first convened on January 7, 1862. The half of the 21 members of the Minnesota Senate who represented even-numbered districts were elected during the General Election of November 6, 1860, while the 42 members of the Minnesota House of Representatives and the other half of the members of the Minnesota Senate were elected during the General Election of October 8, 1861.
The legislature met in a regular session from January 7, 1862 to March 7, 1862. A special session of the legislature was convened from September 9, 1862 to September 29, 1862 in response to the Dakota War of 1862, to consider such matters as suffrage for military personnel, the organization and equipment of the militia, and regulations concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages to Native Americans.