1978 Illinois gubernatorial election

Last updated

1978 Illinois gubernatorial election
Flag of Illinois.svg
  1976 November 7, 1978 1982  
Turnout54.23% Decrease2.svg 19.95 pp
  Governor James Thompson (3x4).jpg Comptroller Michael Bakalis (3x4).jpg
Nominee Jim Thompson Michael Bakalis
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Dave O'Neal Dick Durbin
Popular vote1,859,6841,263,134
Percentage59.04%40.10%

1978 Illinois gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results

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

Bakalis:     40–50%     50–60%

Governor before election

James R. Thompson
Republican

Elected Governor

James R. Thompson
Republican

The 1978 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 7, 1978. [1] Republican James R. Thompson easily won a second term in office, defeating Democratic nominee Michael Bakalis by 596,550 votes.

Contents

Background

This was the first Illinois gubernatorial election that took place during the United States' midterm elections. [2] The previous election had been in 1976.

The primary (held March 21) and general election coincided with those for federal offices (Senate and House) and those for other state offices. [1] [3] The election was part of the 1978 Illinois elections.

Turnout in the primaries saw 20.39% in the gubernatorial primaries, with a total of 1,201,603 votes cast, and 16.33% in the lieutenant gubernatorial primary, with 962,288 votes cast. [3] Turnout during the general election was 54.23%, with 3,150,107 votes cast. [1]

Democratic primary

Governor

Incumbent Illinois Comptroller Michael Bakalis won the Democratic primary.

Bakalis' opponent had been Dakin Williams, a prosecutor who was the younger brother of famous playwright Tennessee Williams. [4] Williams had been a candidate for the Democratic nomination of Illinois' US Senate seat in 1972, and had unsuccessfully sought the nomination for the state's other US Senate seat in 1974. [5]

Democratic gubernatorial primary [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Michael Bakalis 601,045 82.85
Democratic Dakin Williams124,40617.15
Write-in 80.00
Total votes725,459 100

Lieutenant governor

Lawyer and future congressman and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, running unopposed.

Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Richard J. Durbin 528,819 100
Write-in 50.00
Total votes528,824 100

Republican primary

Governor

Incumbent governor James R. Thompson won renomination, running unopposed.

Republican gubernatorial primary [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican James R. Thompson (incumbent) 476,043 99.98
Write-in 1010.02
Total votes476,144 100

Lieutenant governor

Incumbent lieutenant governor Dave O'Neal won renomination, running unopposed.

Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary [3]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican David C. O'Neal 433,453 100
Write-in 110.00
Total votes433,464 100

Results

1978 gubernatorial election, Illinois [6]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican James R. Thompson (incumbent)/
David C. O'Neal (incumbent)
1,859,684 59.04
Democratic Michael Bakalis/
Richard J. Durbin
1,263,13440.10
Libertarian Georgia Shields/
Marji Kohls
11,4200.36
Socialist Workers Cecil Lampkin/
Dennis Brasky
11,0260.35
U.S. Labor Melvin Klenetsky/
David R. Hoffman
4,7370.15
Write-in 1060.00
Majority596,55018.94
Turnout 3,150,10754.23
Republican hold

References

  1. 1 2 3 "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 7, 1978" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved June 25, 2020.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. w. "Illinois Constitution – Article V". Ilga.gov. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 21, 1978" (PDF). www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 27, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  4. "Tennessee Williams' brother dead at 89". The State Journal-Register. May 22, 2008. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  5. "Our Campaigns - Candidate - W. Dakin Williams". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  6. "1978 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Illinois". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2022.