1960 Illinois elections

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 8, 1960.[1]

1960 Illinois elections

← 1958November 8, 19601962 →
Turnout88.11%

Primaries were held on April 12.[1][2]

Election information

Turnout

In the primaries, turnout was 40.92%, with 2,082,667 ballots cast (1,171,488 Democratic and 911,179 Republican).[1][2][3]

In the general election, turnout was 88.11%, with 4,845,319 ballots cast.[1][3]

Federal elections

United States President

Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

United States Senate

Democratic Senator Paul Douglas was reelected to a third term.

United States House

All 25 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1960.

No seats switched parties, leaving Illinois' House delegation to consist of 14 Democrats and 11 Republicans.

State elections

Governor

1960 Illinois gubernatorial election

← 1956November 8, 19601964 →
Turnout84.99%[3][4]
 
NomineeOtto Kerner Jr.William Stratton
PartyDemocraticRepublican
Popular vote2,418,3942,239,095
Percentage51.9%48.1%

Governor before election

William Stratton
Republican

Elected Governor

Otto Kerner Jr.
Democratic

Incumbent Governor William Stratton, a Republican seeking a third term, lost reelection to Democrat Otto Kerner Jr.

General election

Gubernatorial election[4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticOtto Kerner Jr.2,594,73155.51
RepublicanWilliam G. Stratton (incumbent)2,070,47944.30
Socialist LaborEdward C. Cross8,9760.19
Write-inOthers10.00
Total votes4,674,187 100

Lieutenant governor

1960 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election

← 1956November 8, 19601964 →
Turnout83.10%[3][4]
 
NomineeSamuel H. ShapiroJohn William Chapman
PartyDemocraticRepublican
Popular vote2,398,7462,162,643
Percentage52.49%47.32%

Lieutenant Governor before election

John William Chapman
Republican

Elected Lieutenant Governor

Samuel H. Shapiro
Democratic

Incumbent Lieutenant Governor John William Chapman, a Republican seeking a third term, lost reelection to Democrat Samuel H. Shapiro.

Democratic primary

Lieutenant Governor Democratic primary[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticSamuel H. Shapiro 559,341 58.49
DemocraticRobert W. McGaw247,16425.85
DemocraticJohn L. "Jake" Wellinghoff149,73915.66
Total votes956,244 100

Republican primary

Lieutenant Governor Republican primary[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanJohn William Chapman (incumbent) 592,812 80.01
RepublicanWetzel G. Harness148,12319.99
Total votes740,935 100

General election

Lieutenant Governor election[4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticSamuel H. Shapiro 2,398,746 52.49
RepublicanJohn William Chapman (incumbent)2,162,64347.32
Socialist LaborElizabeth Mitroff8,4940.19
Total votes4,569,883 100

Attorney general

1960 Illinois Attorney General election

← 1956November 8, 19601964 →
Turnout82.80%[3][4]
 
NomineeWilliam G. ClarkWilliam L. Guild
PartyDemocraticRepublican
Popular vote2,354,8862,190,251
Percentage51.72%48.10%

Attorney General before election

William L. Guild
Republican

Elected Attorney General

William G. Clark
Democratic

Incumbent Attorney General William L. Guild (a Republican appointed in 1960 after the death in office of Grenville Beardsley) lost to Democrat William G. Clark.

Originally, before his death, Grenville Beardsley (himself a Republican that had been appointed in 1959 after Latham Castle resigned to assume a judgeship) had been seeking reelection, having won the Republican primary.

Democratic primary

Attorney General Democratic primary[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWilliam G. Clark 800,132 100
Total votes800,132 100

Republican primary

Attorney General Republican primary[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanGrenville Beardsley (incumbent) 685,967 100
Write-inOthers10.00
Total votes685,968 100

General election

Attorney General election[4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticWilliam G. Clark 2,354,886 51.72
RepublicanWilliam L. Guild (incumbent)2,190,25148.10
Socialist LaborGeorge P. Milonas8,3870.18
Total votes4,553,524 100

Secretary of State

1960 Illinois Secretary of State election

← 1956November 8, 19601964 →
Turnout84.26%[3][4]
 
NomineeCharles F. CarpentierJames R. McLaughlin
PartyRepublicanDemocratic
Popular vote2,505,2552,120,339
Percentage54.06%45.76%

Secretary of State before election

Charles F. Carpentier
Republican

Elected Secretary of State

Charles F. Carpentier
Republican

Incumbent Secretary of State Charles F. Carpentier, a Republican, was reelected to a third term.

Democratic primary

Secretary of State Democratic primary[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticJames R. McLaughlin 810,749 100
Total votes810,749 100

Republican primary

Secretary of State Republican primary[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanCharles F. Carpentier (incumbent) 762,305 100
Write-inOthers30.00
Total votes762,308 100

General election

Secretary of State election[4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanCharles F. Carpentier (incumbent) 2,505,255 54.06
DemocraticJames R. McLaughlin2,120,33945.76
Socialist LaborGregory P. Lyngas8,2340.18
Total votes4,633,828 100

Auditor of Public Accounts

1960 Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts election

← 1956November 8, 19601964 →
Turnout82.79%[3][4]
 
NomineeMichael HowlettElbert S. Smith
PartyDemocraticRepublican
Popular vote2,296,2202,246,833
Percentage50.44%49.35

Auditor of Public Accounts before election

Elbert S. Smith
Republican

Elected Auditor of Public Accounts

Michael Howlett
Democratic

Incumbent Auditor of Public Accounts Elbert S. Smith, a Republican seeking a second term, lost to Democrat Michael Howlett.

Democratic primary

Auditor of Public Accounts Democratic primary[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticMichael J. Howlett 792,853 100
Total votes792,853 100

Republican primary

Auditor of Public Accounts Republican primary[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanElbert S. Smith (incumbent) 688,081 100
DemocraticWrite-in10.00
Total votes688,082 100

General election

Auditor of Public Accounts election[4]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticMichael J. Howlett 2,296,220 50.44
RepublicanElbert S. Smith (incumbent)2,246,83349.35
Socialist LaborStanley L. Prorok9,7890.01
Total votes4,552,842 100

State Senate

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1960. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

State House of Representatives

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1960. Republicans flipped control of the chamber.

Trustees of University of Illinois

1960 Trustees of University of Illinois election
← 1958November 8, 19601962 →

An election was held for three seats as Trustees of University of Illinois.[4] All three Democratic nominees won.[4]

Democratic incumbent Kenney E. Williamson, first appointed in 1940, won reelection to a third full (fourth overall) term.[5] Democratic incumbent Frances Best Watkins won reelection to a third term.[5] They were joined in winning election by fellow Democrat Irving Dillard.[4][5]

Incumbent Democrat George Herrick was not nominated for reelection.[5]

Trustees of the University of Illinois election[4][5]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticIrving Dillard 2,356,777 17.41
DemocraticKenney E. Williamson (incumbent) 2,335,857½ 17.26
DemocraticFrances Best Watkins (incumbent) 2,310,181½ 17.07
RepublicanC. E. "Ernie" Lovejoy2,199,23016.25
RepublicanAudrey Reavis Peak2,172,49016.05
RepublicanThomas O. Matthews2,130,06215.74
Socialist LaborBernard Campbell10,0650.07
Socialist LaborMargaret Deneff9,6600.07
Socialist LaborHenery Schilling9,6380.07
Write-inOthers40.00
Total votes13,533,961 100

Judicial elections

1960 Illinois judicial elections
← 1959June 6, 19601961 →

Judicial elections were held in 1960.

Supreme Court

First Supreme Court Judicial District
First Supreme Court Judicial District[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanByron O. House (incumbent) 59,114 53.69
DemocraticRobert Zachariah Hickman50,24045.63
OthersOthers7440.68
Total votes110,098 100
Second Supreme Court Judicial District
Second Supreme Court Judicial District [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
DemocraticHarry B. Hershey (incumbent) 3,345 94.49
OthersOthers1955.51
Total votes3,540 100
Third Supreme Court Judicial District
Third Supreme Court Judicial District[2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
RepublicanGeorge W. Bristow (incumbent) 3,558 99.44
OthersOthers200.56
Total votes3,578 100

Lower courts

On April 12, a special election was held to fill a vacancy on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.[2]

Ballot measures

Two ballot measures, both of them bond issues, were put before Illinois voters in 1960.

Bond measures needed an affirmative vote equal to majority of the votes cast for whichever chamber of the Illinois General Assembly had the highest cumulative vote count.[4] Since, in 1960, the highest legislative vote was 4,525,191, the vote count needed to be reached was at least 2,262,596 affirmative votes.[4] The vote also needed a majority of votes cast on each measure to be affirmative.

Bond Issue for Education

Voters approved the Bond Issue for Education, which issued bonds to support improvements in education.[6]

Bond Issue for Education[3][4][6]
OptionVotes% of highest legislative vote
cast
Yes2,633,86958.21
No1,266,49027.98
Total votes3,900,35986.19
Voter turnout70.92%

Bond Issue for Mental Health

Voters approved the Bond Issue for Mental Health, which would issue bonds to support improvements mental health and public welfare.[7]

Bond Issue for Mental Health[3][4][7]
OptionVotes% of highest legislative vote
cast
Yes2,967,52765.58
No973,07521.50
Total votes3,940,60287.08
Voter turnout71.65%

Local elections

Local elections were held.

References