2002 Illinois elections

November 5, 2002
Turnout51.86%

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 5, 2002. Primary elections were held on March 19, 2002.

The Democratic Party made gains in these elections, while the Republican Party conversely saw losses. The Democratic Party retained their control of the State House and flipped control of the State Senate. The Democratic Party also won the Governorship and Lieutenant Governorship in their combined election, ending 26 years of Republican control of the state's executive branch. In addition, among the other four statewide elected offices, the Democratic Party retained their hold of two (Secretary of State and Comptroller), while flipping another (Attorney General). This left Illinois Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka as the sole remaining Republican holder of a statewide office.

The losses for Republicans continued a decline of fortunes that had taken place in the state of Illinois over the last several elections for the party, which previously had held all statewide elected offices and both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly in the mid-1990s (following the 1994 elections).

Election information

2002 was a midterm election year in the United States.

Turnout

Primary election

For the primary election, turnout was 32.84%, with 2,321,875 votes cast.[1]

Turnout by county[1]

General election

For the general election, turnout was 51.86%, with 3,653,060 votes cast.[1]

Turnout by county[1]

Federal elections

United States Senate

Incumbent Democratic United States Senator Dick Durbin won reelection to a second term.

United States House

Illinois had lost one seat in the reapportionment following the 2000 United States Census. All 19 of Illinois' remaining seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2002.

Before the election, Democrats and Republicans each held 10 seats from Illinois. In 2002, Republicans won 10 seats while Democrats won 9.

State elections

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

2002 Illinois gubernatorial election

November 5, 2002
Turnout50.05%
 
Nominee Rod Blagojevich Jim Ryan
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate Pat Quinn Carl Hawkinson
Popular vote 1,847,040 1,594,961
Percentage 52.2% 45.1%

County results
Blagojevich:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Ryan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Governor before election

George Ryan
Republican

Elected Governor

Rod Blagojevich
Democratic

Incumbent Governor George Ryan, a Republican plagued by scandals, did not seek reelection. Democrat Rod Blagojevich was elected to succeed him.

Governor/Lieutenant Governor election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Rod Blagojevich / Pat Quinn 1,847,040 52.19
Republican Jim Ryan / Carl Hawkinson 1,594,961 45.07
Libertarian Cal Skinner 73,794 2.09
Independent Marisellis Brown 23,089 0.65
Write-in Peter Dale Kauss 8 0.00
Total votes 3,538,891 100

Attorney General

2002 Illinois Attorney General election

November 5, 2002
Turnout49.68%
 
Nominee Lisa Madigan Joe Birkett
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,762,949 1,648,003
Percentage 50.39% 47.10%

County results
Madigan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Birkett:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Attorney General before election

Jim Ryan
Republican

Elected Attorney General

Lisa Madigan
Democratic

Incumbent Attorney General Jim Ryan, a Republican, did not seek a third term, instead opting to run for governor. Democrat Lisa Madigan was elected to succeed him.

Democratic primary

Attorney General Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lisa Madigan 698,250 58.21
Democratic John Schmidt 501,190 41.79
Total votes 1,199,440 100

Republican primary

Attorney General Republican primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Joe Birkett 527,160 64.04
Republican Bob Coleman 295,958 35.96
Total votes 823,118 100

General election

Polling
Poll source Date(s)
administered
Sample
size[lower-alpha 3]
Margin
of error
Lisa
Madigan (D)
Joe
Birkett (R)
Gary
Shilts (L)
Other /
Undecided
SurveyUSA October 28–30, 2002 510 (LV) ± 4.4% 48% 43% 5% 5%
Results
Attorney General election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Lisa Madigan 1,762,949 50.39
Republican Joe Birkett 1,648,003 47.10
Libertarian Gary L. Shilts 87,949 2.51
Total votes 3,498,901 100

Secretary of State

2002 Illinois Secretary of State election

November 5, 2002
Turnout49.99%
 
Nominee Jesse White Kris O'Rourke Cohn
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,390,181 1,051,672
Percentage 67.89% 28.87%

County results
White:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Secretary of State before election

Jesse White
Democratic

Elected Secretary of State

Jesse White
Democratic

Incumbent Secretary of State Jesse White, a Democrat, won reelection to a second term in office.

Democratic primary

Secretary of State Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jesse White (incumbent) 1,104,041 100
Total votes 1,104,041 100

Republican primary

Secretary of State Republican primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Kris O'Rourke Cohn 725,591 100
Total votes 725,591 100

General election

White carried all of Illinois' 102 counties.[3]

Secretary of State election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jesse White (incumbent) 2,390,181 67.89
Republican Kris O'Rourke Cohn 1,051,672 28.87
Libertarian Matt Beauchamp 78,830 2.24
Total votes 3,520,683 100

Comptroller

2002 Illinois State Comptroller election

November 5, 2002
Turnout48.32%
 
Nominee Daniel Hynes Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,150,425 1,108,984
Percentage 63.18% 32.58%

County results
Hynes:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Ramsdell:      40–50%      50–60%

State Comptroller before election

Daniel Hynes
Democratic

Elected State Comptroller

Daniel Hynes
Democratic

Incumbent Comptroller Daniel Hynes, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term.

Democratic primary

Comptroller Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Daniel Hynes (incumbent) 1,002,585 100
Total votes 1,002,585 100

Republican primary

Comptroller Republican primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell 717,379 100
Total votes 717,379 100

General election

Comptroller election[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Daniel Hynes (incumbent) 2,150,425 63.18
Republican Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell 1,108,984 40.88
Libertarian Julie Fox 144,066 4.23
Total votes 3,403,475 100

Treasurer

2002 Illinois State Treasurer election

November 5, 2002
Turnout49.15%
 
Nominee Judy Baar Topinka Tom Dart
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,896,020 1,499,055
Percentage 54.77% 43.30%

County results
Topinka:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Dart:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Treasurer before election

Judy Baar Topinka
Republican

Elected Treasurer

Judy Baar Topinka
Republican

Incumbent Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, a Republican, was reelected to a third term.

Democratic primary

Treasurer Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thomas J. Dart 966,421 100
Total votes 966,421 100

Republican primary

Treasurer Republican primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Judy Baar Topinka (incumbent) 773,416 100
Total votes 773,416 100

General election

Treasurer election
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Judy Baar Topinka (incumbent) 1,896,020 54.77
Democratic Thomas J. Dart 1,499,055 43.30
Libertarian Rhys Read 66,593 1.92
Total votes 3,461,668 100

State Senate

2002 Illinois Senate election

November 5, 2002 (2002-11-05)

59 of 59 seats in the Illinois Senate
30 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Leader Emil Jones James Philip N/A
Party Democratic Republican Independent
Leader's seat 14th 23rd N/A
Seats won 32 26 1
Seat change Increase 5 Decrease 6 Increase 1

President before election

James Philip
Republican

Elected President

Emil Jones
Democratic

All 59 of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 2002,[4] as this election followed a redistricting. Control of the Illinois Senate was flipped from Republican to Democratic.[5] Republicans had been in control of the State Senate since 1993, having captured a majority from the 1992 election.[5]

State House of Representatives

2002 Illinois House of Representatives election

November 5, 2002 (2002-11-05)

All 118 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives
60 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Leader Michael Madigan Lee Daniels
(retired)
Party Democratic Republican
Leader's seat 22nd 46th
Last election 62 56
Seats won 66 52
Seat change Increase 4 Decrease 4

Results:
     Democratic hold      Democratic gain
     Republican hold      Republican gain

Speaker before election

Michael Madigan
Democratic

Speaker-Elect

Michael Madigan
Democratic

All of the seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 2002. Democrats retained control of the House, which they had held since 1997, having won a majority in the 1996 election.[5] Republican Leader Lee Daniels had resigned as Chair of the Illinois GOP in July, but maintained his position as Minority Leader in the House until after the 2002 elections.[6] Madigan continued as Speaker and Democratic chair after the elections.

Judicial elections

Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 2002.

Local elections

Local elections were held. These included county elections, such as the Cook County elections.

Notes

  1. For more on Cook County primary election turnout, see 2002 Cook County, Illinois elections#Primary election
  2. For more on Cook County general election turnout, see 2002 Cook County, Illinois elections#General election
  3. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Voter Turnout". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on May 30, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Election Results". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  3. Hinton, Rachel (December 1, 2020). "Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough eyeing run for Illinois secretary of state". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  4. "Illinois State Senate elections, 2002". Ballotpedia. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 "Party control of Illinois state government". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  6. "Daniels to leave helm in House". Chicago Tribune. October 8, 2002. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
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