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1976 Illinois elections

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1976 Illinois elections
← 1974 November 2, 1976 1978 →
Turnout77.38%
Elections in Illinois
Federal government
U.S. Presidential elections
U.S. Senate elections
U.S. House elections
State government
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections
Attorney General elections
Secretary of State elections
Comptroller elections
Senate elections
House of Representatives elections
Judicial elections
Ballot measures and referendums
Chicago
General elections
Mayoral elections
Aldermanic elections
Chicago Board of Education elections
Cook County
County elections
Rockford
Mayoral elections
  • 2021
President Gerald Ford is joined by Republican gubernatorial nominee James R. Thompson at a whistle stop in Springfield

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 2, 1976.[1]

Primaries were held on March 16, 1976.[1]

In order to, per Constitution of Illinois, allow for all statewide executive offices to be up for election in the 1978 midterms, all statewide executive offices up for election in 1976 were only elected to two-year terms.

Election information

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In order to, per Constitution of Illinois, allow for all statewide executive offices to be up for election in the 1978 midterms, all statewide executive offices up for election in 1976 were only elected to two-year terms.

This is would be the last time that any election for a nstatewide executive office would be held in Illinois during a presidential election year, until 2016, when a special election was held for comptroller.

Turnout

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Turnout in the primary election was 21.55%, with a total of 1,239,487 ballots cast. 669,210 Democratic and 570,277 Republican primary ballots were cast.[1]

Turnout during the general election was 77.38%, with 4,838,182 ballots cast.[1]

Federal elections

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United States President

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Main article: 1976 United States presidential election in Illinois
See also: 1976 United States presidential election

Illinois voted for the Republican ticket of Gerald Ford and Bob Dole.[1]

United States House

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Main article: 1976 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois
See also: 1976 United States House of Representatives elections

All 24 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1976.

Republicans flipped one seat, making the composition of Illinois' House delegation consist of 12 Democrats and 12 Republicans.

State elections

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor

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Main article: 1976 Illinois gubernatorial election
1976 Illinois gubernatorial election
← 1972 November 2, 1976 1978 →
Turnout74.18%[1]
 
Nominee James R. Thompson Michael J. Howlett
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate David C. O'Neal Neil Hartigan
Popular vote 3,000,395 1,610,258
Percentage 64.68% 34.71%
County Results

Thompson:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%

Howlett:      50–60%
Governor before election

Dan Walker
Democratic

Elected Governor

James R. Thompson
Republican

Incumbent Governor Dan Walker, a Democrat, had been defeated by Michael J. Howlett in the Democratic primary, while incumbent Lieutenant Governor Neil Hartigan was renominated in the Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary. The Republican ticket of James R. Thompson and David C. O'Neal won the election.

1976 gubernatorial election, Illinois[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James R. Thompson/Dave O'Neal 3,000,365 64.68
Democratic Michael J. Howlett/Neil F. Hartigan 1,610,258 34.71
Communist Ishmael Flory/Linda R. Appelhans 10,091 0.22
Libertarian F. Joseph McCaffrey/Georgia E. Shields 7,552 0.16
Socialist Workers Suzanne Haig/Dennis Brasky 4,926 0.11
Socialist Labor George LaForest/Stanley A. Prorok 3,147 0.07
U.S. Labor Edward Waffle/Peter Matni 2,302 0.05
Write-in Other 369 0.01
Total votes 4,639,010 100

Attorney General

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1976 Illinois Attorney General election
← 1972 November 2, 1976 1978 →
Turnout72.15%[1]
 
Nominee William J. Scott Cecil Partee
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 2,795,013 1,678,800
Percentage 61.95% 37.21%
Attorney General before election

William J. Scott
Republican

Elected Attorney General

William J. Scott
Republican

Incumbent Attorney General William J. Scott, a Republican, was elected to a third term.

Democratic primary

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President of the Illinois Senate Cecil Partee narrowly defeated Superintendent of the Illinois Department of Registration and Education[2] Ronald E. Stackler in the Democratic primary.

Attorney General Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Cecil A. Partee 270,741 50.56
Democratic Ronald E. Stackler 264,701 49.44
Total votes 535,442 100

Republican primary

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Incumbent William J. Scott won the Republican primary, running unopposed.

Attorney General Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William J. Scott (incumbent) 485,940 100
Total votes 485,940 100

General election

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Attorney General election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William J. Scott (incumbent) 2,795,013 61.95
Democratic Cecil Partee 1,678,800 37.21
Communist Theodore Pearson 11,150 0.25
Socialist Workers Nancy J. Cohen 9,333 0.21
Libertarian John C. Reis 9,165 0.20
Socialist Labor George P. Milonas 4,344 0.10
U.S. Labor Richard D. Leebove 3,918 0.16
Write-in Others 45 0.00
Total votes 4,511,768 100

Secretary of State

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1976 Illinois Secretary of State election
← 1972 November 2, 1976 1978 →
Turnout72.00%[1]
 
Nominee Alan J. Dixon William C. Harris
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,906,311 1,562,028
Percentage 64.55% 34.69%
County results
Dixon:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Harris:      50–60%      60–70%
Secretary of State before election

Michael Howlett
Democratic

Elected Secretary of State

Alan J. Dixon
Democratic

Incumbent Secretary of State Michael Howlett, a Democrat, did not seek a second term, instead opting to run for governor. Democrat Alan J. Dixon was elected to succeed him in office.

Democratic primary

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Illinois Treasurer Alan J. Dixon won the Democratic primary, defeating Illinois State Senator Vince Demuzio.

Secretary of State Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan J. Dixon 984,934 77.35
Democratic Vince Demuzio 288,354 22.65
Total votes 1,273,288 100

Republican primary

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Illinois State Senator William C. Harris won the Republican primary, running unopposed.

Secretary of State Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William C. Harris 615,932 100
Total votes 615,932 100

General election

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Secretary of State election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Alan J. Dixon 2,906,311 64.55
Republican William C. Harris 1,562,028 34.69
Libertarian Ellyn Powelson 10,461 0.23
Communist Frances Gabow 8,271 0.18
Socialist Workers Eva Lynn Masterson 6,356 0.14
U.S. Labor John H. Brown, Jr. 5,212 0.12
Socialist Labor Ben Leonik 3,876 0.09
Write-in Others 30 0.00
Total votes 4,502,545 100

Comptroller

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1976 Illinois State Comptroller election
← 1972 November 2, 1976 1978 →
Turnout71.25%[1]
 
Nominee Michael Bakalis George W. Lindberg
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,298,074 2,117,977
Percentage 51.67% 47.53%
State Comptroller before election

George W. Lindberg
Republican

Elected State Comptroller

Michael Bakalis
Democratic

Incumbent Comptroller George W. Lindberg, a Republican running for a second term, was defeated by Democrat Michael Bakalis.

Democratic primary

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Former Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Bakalis won the Democratic primary, defeating Director of the Illinois State Department of General Services[3] Roland Burris.

Secretary of State Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael J. Bakalis 900,294 71.82
Democratic Roland W. Burris 353,252 28.18
Total votes 1,253,546 100

Republican primary

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Incumbent George W. Lindberg won the Republican primary, running unopposed.

Secretary of State Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George W. Lindberg (incumbent) 619,698 100
Total votes 619,698 100

General election

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Comptroller election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael Bakalis 2,298,074 51.58
Republican George W. Lindberg (incumbent) 2,117,977 47.53
Libertarian Mark B. Wallace 13,789 0.31
Communist Charles Hunter 10,992 0.25
U.S. Labor Michael Braun 5,635 0.13
Socialist Workers Clemens R. Bak 5,071 0.11
Socialist Labor Gregory P. Lyngas 4,064 0.09
Write-in Others 22 0.00
Total votes 4,455,624 100

State Senate

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Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1976. Democrats retained control of the chamber.

State House of Representatives

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Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1976. Democrats retained control of the chamber.

Trustees of University of Illinois

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1976 Trustees of University of Illinois election
← 1974 November 2, 1976 1978 →

An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois system.

The election saw the reelection of first-term Democrats William D. Forsyth Jr., George W. Howard III, and Earl L. Neal.[1][4]

Trustees of the University of Illinois election[1][4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Earl L. Neal (incumbent) 2,221,506 18.17
Democratic William D. Forsyth Jr. (incumbent) 2,056,442 16.82
Democratic George W. Howard, III (incumbent) 1,971,033 16.12
Republican Timothy W. Swain 1,968,391 16.10
Republican Robert E. Allen 1,893,695 15.49
Republican Dean Ennis Madden 1,789,409 14.64
Libertarian Anne McCracken 44,472 0.36
U.S. Labor Carol Leebove 30,233 0.25
Libertarian James D. McCawley 27,542 0.23
Communist Mark J. Almberg 25,641 0.21
Libertarian Milton Altschuler 25,532 0.21
U.S. Labor Helen Ratzlow 25,351 0.21
Socialist Labor Doris Churchill 24,595 0.20
U.S. Labor Shari Waffle 22,498 0.18
Communist Altherna Medith 18,948 0.16
Communist Jack Kling 17,414 0.14
Socialist Labor Edwin L. Williams 14,970 0.12
Socialist Workers Mark Harris 13,314 0.11
Socialist Workers David W. Tucker 11,982 0.10
Socialist Workers John Pottinger 10,752 0.09
Socialist Labor Clarys L. Essex 10,671 0.09
Write-in Others 113 0.00
Total votes 12,224,504 100

Judicial elections

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Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 1976.[1]

Local elections

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Local elections were held.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 2, 1976 JUDICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 16, 1976" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  2. ^ "Names". Illinois Issues. July 1976. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  3. ^ "BURRIS, Roland | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives". history.house.gov. United States House of Representatives. Retrieved June 27, 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Trustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees" (PDF). University of Illinois. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
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