Illinois is a Democratic stronghold in presidential elections and one of the "Big Three" Democratic strongholds alongside California and New York. It is one of the most Democratic states in the nation with all state executive offices and both state legislative branches held by Democrats.[1][2] For most of its history, Illinois was widely considered to be a swing state, voting for the winner of all but two presidential elections in the 20th century. Political party strength in Illinois is highly dependent upon Cook County, and the state's reputation as a blue state rests upon the fact that over 40% of its population and political power is concentrated in Chicago, Cook County, and the Chicago metropolitan area. Outside of Chicago, the suburban collar counties continue trending Democratic[3] while downstate Illinois can be considered more conservative with several Democratic leaning regions including Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal, Rockford, Peoria, and suburban St. Louis[4]
Illinois's electoral college votes have gone towards the Democratic presidential candidate for the past eight elections, and its congressional makeup tilts heavily Democratic with a 14-3 majority as of 2024. However, it has a history of competitive statewide elections and has elected a small number of moderate Republicans including Governors Jim Edgar, George Ryan, and Bruce Rauner, Senators Peter Fitzgerald and Mark Kirk, and other state executive officeholders including Judy Baar Topinka and Dan Rutherford.
The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Illinois:
- Governor
- Lieutenant Governor
- Secretary of State
- Attorney General
- Comptroller (Auditor before 1972)
- Treasurer
The table also indicates the historical party composition in the:
Table
- 1 2 The Office of Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts existed from 1818-1973, when it was eliminated by the 1970 Constitution and replaced with the office of Comptroller. George W. Lindberg was the first Illinois Comptroller
- ↑ Territorial governor appointed by the President of the United States.
- 1 2 3 Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois Territory.
- ↑ Andrew Jackson received two of Illinois's three electoral votes for President while John Quincy Adams received one. John C. Calhoun won all three electoral votes for Vice President.
- 1 2 Resigned following election to United States House of Representatives.
- ↑ As acting lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
- 1 2 3 Resigned.
- ↑ Lt. Gov. Stinson Anderson provided the tie-breaking vote to allow the Democrats to organize and run the chamber.
- ↑ Elected a Democrat, William Lee D. Ewing, as a minority-party Speaker.
- ↑ An Anti-Nebraska Democrat, Thomas J. Turner, was elected in coalition with the Whigs to be a minority-party Speaker.
- 1 2 3 4 Died in office.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
- ↑ Resigned so that Lieutenant Governor John Lourie Beveridge, acting as governor, would appoint him to the United States Senate.
- ↑ Due to the ascension of Lt. Gov. Beveridge to the Governorship after Gov. Oglesby took a U.S. Senate seat, the President Pro Tempore elected by the Senate, John Early, became acting Lt. Governor.[5]
- ↑ A coalition of Democrats and Independents organized the Senate, and chose Archibald A. Glenn, a Democrat, to be President Pro Tempore. Due to the vacancy in the Lt. Governorship from John Beveridge ascending to be Governor in 1873, Glenn also became acting Lt. Governor.[5]
- ↑ A coalition of Democrats and Independents organized the House, and chose Elijah Haines, a Independent, to be Speaker.[5]
- ↑ Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
- ↑ A coalition of Democrats and Independents organized the Senate, and chose Fawcett Plumb, an Independent tied to the Farmers' Association, to be President Pro Tempore.[5]
- ↑ The Independent, Elijah Haines, was elected Speaker with Democratic support, giving them control.
- ↑ With the support of the Progressive members, the Democrats named the President Pro Tempore and controlled the chamber.
- ↑ After 76 ballots, a Democrat, William B. McKinley, was elected Speaker with Republican votes.[6]
- ↑ With the support of the Progressive member, the Democrats named the President Pro Tempore and controlled the chamber.
- 1 2 3 Resigned to take seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Appointed to fill a vacancy.
- ↑ Removed from Office upon tax fraud conviction.[7]
- ↑ With a Democratic Lt. Governor, the Democrats retained the Senate majority and the Senate Presidency.
- ↑ The Independent, Taylor Pouncey, caucused with the Democrats, giving them the votes to control the Speakership and run the House.[8]
- ↑ Initially appointed to fill vacancy; later elected in his own right.
- ↑ Impeached and removed from office by the state legislature on corruption charges.
- ↑ Resigned following election as president of the United States.
- Regarding resignations and appointments; the person who held the office for the majority of the year is listed as the office holder for that year.
Gallery
Illinois in the 2000 presidential election. Gore v. Bush.
Illinois in the 2004 presidential election. Kerry v. Bush.
Illinois in the 2008 presidential election. Obama v. McCain.
Illinois in the 2012 presidential election. Obama v. Romney.
Illinois in the 2016 presidential election. Clinton v. Trump.
Illinois in the 2020 presidential election. Biden v. Trump.
2004 US Senate election results.
2008 US Senate election results.
2010 US Senate election results.
2014 US Senate election results.
2016 US Senate election results.
2020 US Senate election results.
2022 US Senate election results.
Illinois gubernatorial race in 2002
Illinois gubernatorial race in 2006
Illinois gubernatorial race in 2010. Notice that Pat Quinn won while carrying the same counties as losing Democratic Senate candidate Alexi Giannoulias.
2014 Illinois gubernatorial election. Incumbent Democratic governor Pat Quinn was defeated for reelection by Republican candidate Bruce Rauner. Notice that Rauner carried every county except Cook County.
2018 Illinois gubernatorial election. Strong Democratic turnout in Chicago, Cook County, all of the suburban collar counties, and modest growth in downstate support drove J. B. Pritzker's decisive victory.
See also
References
- ↑ O'connor, John (14 January 2019). "Gov. Pritzker gives Democrats near-record power in Illinois". AP NEWS. Retrieved 15 January 2019.
- ↑ "Illinois: The Most Democratic State". NBC Chicago. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ↑ Baker, Suzanne. "How a blue wave rolled through historically Republican Naperville, leaving the GOP in its wake". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved 3 September 2021.
- ↑ Smith, Katlyn (4 November 2020). "Democrats gain ground in once solidly red DuPage County". Daily Herald. Retrieved 9 November 2020.
- 1 2 3 4 Bateman, Newton (1921). Historical Encyclopedia of Illinois. Munsell Publishing Company. p. 193.
- ↑ "Journal of the House of Representatives of the General Assembly of the State of Illinois. sess.48 1913". HathiTrust. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ↑ Ap (1981-09-20). "Ex-Illinois Attorney General Loses Tax Conviction Plea". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ↑ "Legislative Action - Illinois Issues, February, 1979". www.lib.niu.edu. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- Guild III, William (September 1999). "William Guild, Sr." DCBA Brief. Retrieved on 11 Feb. 2009.
- Inventory of the Latham Castle Collection (Historical Sketch). Notes maintained by Northern Illinois University Library. Retrieved on 11 Feb. 2009.