1960 Illinois gubernatorial election

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1960 Illinois gubernatorial election
Flag of Illinois (1915-1969).svg
  1956 November 8, 1960 1964  
Turnout84.99% Increase2.svg 2.30 pp
  Otto Kerner (Illinois Blue Book Portrait 1961-1962).png William G. Stratton (Illinois Blue Book Portrait 1959-1960).jpg
Nominee Otto Kerner Jr. William Stratton
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote2,594,7312,070,479
Percentage55.51%44.30%

1960 Illinois gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Kerner:      50–60%     60–70%
Stratton:      50–60%     60–70%

Governor before election

William Stratton
Republican

Elected Governor

Otto Kerner Jr.
Democratic

The 1960 Illinois gubernatorial election was held in Illinois on November 8, 1960. [1]

Contents

Heading into this election, Stratton was seen as vulnerable to being unseated if the Democrats ran a strong candidate, as he had only narrowly won reelection in 1956 (despite a strong overall performance by the Republican party in the state that year), and since the Democratic Party had nationally had a strong performance in the 1958 elections. [2] Incumbent Governor William Stratton, a Republican seeking a third term, lost reelection to Democrat Otto Kerner Jr.

Background

The primaries and general election both coincided with those for federal offices (United States President, House, and United States Senate) and those for other state offices. The election was part of the 1960 Illinois elections.

In the primaries, turnout was 37.54%, with 1,910,956 votes cast. [1] [3] In the general election, turnout was 84.99%, with 4,674,187 votes cast. [1] [3]

Primaries

Primaries were held on April 12, 1960. [1]

Democratic primary

Names floated as potential Democratic contenders included former Illinois Governor John Stelle, former Illinois Attorney General John Edward Cassidy, former United States Senator Scott W. Lucas, President of the Chicago Board of Education Sargent Shriver, and Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley, all of whom opted not to run. [4] [2] Daley, the head of the Cook County Democratic Party and a political boss, helped slate Otto Kerner for the nomination. [2] Kerner won the Democratic primary. [1]

Candidates

Ran
Declined to run

Results

Gubernatorial Democratic primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Otto Kerner 649,253 60.89
Democratic Joseph D. Lohman 232,34521.79
Democratic Stephen A. Mitchell 184,65117.32
Total votes1,066,249 100

Republican

Gubernatorial Republican primary [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican William G. Stratton (incumbent) 499,365 59.12
Republican Hayes Robertson345,34040.88
Write-in 20.00
Total votes844,707 100

General election

Gubernatorial election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Otto Kerner Jr. 2,594,731 55.51
Republican William G. Stratton (incumbent)2,070,47944.30
Socialist Labor Edward C. Cross8,9760.19
Write-in 10.00
Total votes4,674,187 100

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "OFFICIAL VOTE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION, NOVEMBER 8, 1960 JUDICIAL ELECTION 1959-1960 • PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, APRIL 12 1960" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 20, 2022. Retrieved July 4, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Cohen, Adam; Taylor, Elizabeth (2001). American Pharaoh: Mayor Richard J. Daley - His Battle for Chicago and the Nation. Little, Brown. pp. 146–148. ISBN   978-0-7595-2427-9.
  3. 1 2 "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 4, 1986" (PDF). www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on June 2, 2022. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  4. 1 2 McFadden, Robert D. (January 18, 2011). "R. Sargent Shriver, Peace Corps Leader, Dies at 95". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved May 16, 2024.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hayes, Charles (January 7, 1960). "Rough-and-Tumble Election". Newspapers.com. Arlington Heights Herald. Retrieved August 1, 2021.