1988 Cook County, Illinois, elections

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1988 Cook County, Illinois, elections
Flag of Cook County, Illinois (1961-2022).svg
  1986 November 8, 1988 1990  
Turnout72.56%

The Cook County, Illinois, general election was held on November 8, 1988. [1]

Contents

Primaries were held March 15, 1988. [2]

Elections were held for Clerk of the Circuit Court, Recorder of Deeds, State's Attorney, one seat on the Cook County Board of Appeals, three seats on the Water Reclamation District Board, and judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Election information

1988 was a presidential election year in the United States. The primaries and general elections for Cook County races coincided with those for federal races (President and House) and those for state elections.

Political context

After Harold Washington's 1987 re-election as Chicago mayor and the end of the Council Wars gridlock on the Chicago City Council, Washington reconciled with the Cook County Regular Democratic Organization. Before his death in November 1987, he endorsed the regular organization's slate of candidates for Cook County office in 1988 (Richard M. Daley for re-election as state's attoreny; Aurelia Pucinski for clerk of courts; and Carol Moseley-Braun for recorder of deeds. [3]

Voter turnout

Primary election

Turnout in the primaries was 45.63%, with 1,236,750 ballots cast. [2] [4]

Vote totals of primaries [2]
PrimaryChicago vote totalsSuburban Cook County vote totalsTotal Cook County vote totals
Democratic 742,281244,812987,093
Republican 83,625161,042244,667
Illinois Solidarity 12777204
Nonpartisan7336,0536,786
Total826,766411,9841,236,750

General election

The general election saw turnout of 72.56%, with 2,095,985 ballots cast. [5] Chicago saw 1,14,080 ballots cast, and suburban Cook County saw 981,905 ballots cast. [1]

Straight-ticket voting

Ballots had a straight-ticket voting option in 1988. [1]

PartyNumber of
straight-ticket
votes [1]
Democratic 442,219
Republican 276,923
Communist 102
Illinois Solidarity 508
John Davis Comm. Act.0
Independent Tax Reform974
Independent Progressive0
Libertarian 1,531
Marie Goodlow Party348

Clerk of the Circuit Court

1988 Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County election
  1984 November 8, 1988 1992  
Turnout68.25% [1] [5]
  AureliaPucinski1967 (3x4a).png Edward Vrdolyak (1).png
Candidate Aurelia Pucinski Edward R. Vrdolyak
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote1,170,558800,783
Percentage59.38%40.62%

Clerk before election

Morgan M. Finley
Democratic

Elected Clerk

Aurelia Pucinski
Democratic

In the 1988 Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County election, incumbent clerk Morgan M. Finley, a Democrat, did not seek reelection. Democrat Aurelia Pucinski was elected to succeed him.

Primaries

Democratic

Candidates

The following candidates ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Clerk of the Circuit Court:

CandidateExperienceRef
JaneByrne1985 (a).jpg Jane Byrne Former mayor of Chicago (1979–1983)
3x4.svg Thomas S. FullerCommissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago since 1978 [6]
3x4.svg Janice Hart 1984 Democratic nominee for Illinois Secretary of State, supporter of the LaRouche movement [7]
3x4.svg Aurelia Pucinski Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago since 1984
Results
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Aurelia Marie Pucinski 407,958 51.96
Democratic Jane M. Byrne 296,29837.74
Democratic Thomas S. Fuller60,8637.75
Democratic Janice A. Hart 20,0612.55
Total votes785,180 100

Republican

Candidate

The following candidate ran for the Republican Party nomination for Clerk of the Circuit Court:

CandidateExperienceRef
Edward Vrdolyak (1).png Edward Vrdolyak Former Chicago alderman (1971–1987), former president of the Chicago City Council (1977–1983), former Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party (1982–1987), 1987 Illinois Solidarity Party nominee for mayor of Chicago
Results
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Republican primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Edward R. Vrdolyak 191,798 100
Total votes191,798 100

Illinois Solidarity

No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary. [2]

General election

Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Aurelia Marie Pucinski 1,170,558 59.38
Republican Edward R. Vrdolyak 800,78340.62
Total votes1,971,341 100

Recorder of Deeds

1988 Cook County Recorder of Deeds election
  1984 November 8, 1988 1992  
Turnout65.06% [1] [5]
  Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Carol Moseley Braun Bernard L. Stone
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote1,020,805795,540
Percentage54.32%42.33%

Recorder of Deeds before election

Harry Yourell
Democratic

Elected Recorder of Deeds

Carol Moseley Braun
Democratic

In the 1988 Cook County Recorder of Deeds election, incumbent first-term recorder of deeds Harry Yourell, a Democrat, did not seek reelection, instead running to be a commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Democrat Carol Moseley Braun was elected to succeed him.

Mosely Braun's election made her the first African-American to hold the office of Cook County recorder of deeds. [8]

Primaries

Democratic

Candidates

The following candidate ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Cook County Recorder of Deeds Court:

CandidateExperienceRef
3x4.svg Sheila A. Jones Perennial candidate
Sen. Carol Moseley Braun (1).jpg Carol Moseley Braun Member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 1979
Results
Cook County Recorder of Deeds Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Carol Moseley Braun 424,480 78.05
Democratic Sheila A. Jones119,37221.95
Total votes543,852 100

Republican

Candidates

The following candidate ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Cook County Recorder of Deeds Court:

CandidateExperienceRef
Maureen Murphy Worth Township Clerk
Bernard Stone Chicago alderman since 1973
Results
Cook County Recorder of Deeds Republican primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bernard L. Stone 114,985 59.31
Republican Maureen Murphy 78,89540.69
Total votes193,880 100

Illinois Solidarity

No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary. [2] The party ultimately nominated Edward M. Wojkowski. [1]

General election

Cook County Recorder of Deeds election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Carol Moseley Braun 1,020,805 54.32
Republican Bernard L. Stone 795,54042.33
Illinois Solidarity Edward M. Wojkowski62,9683.35
Total votes1,879,313 100

State's Attorney

1988 Cook County State's Attorney election
  1984 November 8, 1988 1990 (special)  
Turnout67.68% [1] [5]
  Richard M. Daley, circa 1977 (1).jpg Terry Gainer, official photo as Sergeant at Arms, 2007 (1).jpg
Candidate Richard M. Daley Terrance W. Gainer
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote1,303,906650,942
Percentage66.70%33.30%

State's Attorney before election

Richard M. Daley
Democratic

Elected State's Attorney

Richard M. Daley
Democratic

In the 1988 Cook County State's Attorney election, incumbent second-term state's attorney Richard M. Daley, a Democrat, was reelected.

Primaries

Democratic

Cook County State's Attorney Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Richard M. Daley (incumbent) 641,789 100
Total votes641,789 100

Republican

Cook County State's Attorney Republican primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Terrance W. Gainer 177,879 100
Total votes177,879 100

Illinois Solidarity

No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary. [2]

General election

Cook County State's Attorney election [1]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Richard M. Daley (incumbent) 1,303,906 66.70
Republican Terrance W. Gainer 650,94233.30
Total votes1,954,848 100

Cook County Board of Appeals (special election)

1988 Cook County Board of Appeals special election
  1986 November 8, 1988 1990  

1 of 2 seats on the Cook County Board of Review
Turnout65.27% [1] [5]
 First partySecond party
 
Party Democratic Republican
Seats before20
Seats after20
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
Seats up10
Races won10
  JosephBerrios (cropped).jpg 3x4.svg
Candidate Joseph Berrios David R. Wiltise
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote1,170,558714,736
Percentage60.68%39.32%

Commissioner before election

Thomas A. Jaconetty
Democratic

Elected Commissioner

Joseph Berrios
Democratic

In the 1988 Cook County Board of Appeals special election, one seat on the board were up for election. Due to the death of Harry Semrow, this special election was held to fill the seat he had served on. [9] Democrat Joseph Berrios was elected to fill the seat.

Thomas A. Jaconetty had been appointed to hold the seat until the new commissioner elected in this race would be seated. [9]

Primaries

Democratic

31st Ward committeeman Joseph Berrios, the Democratic Party organization-endorsed candidate, won the Democratic primary. [2] [9]

Cook County Board of Appeals Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Joseph Berrios 302,253 54.47
Democratic Jeffrey Paul Smith252,63345.53
Total votes554,886 100

Republican

The Republican Party nominated David R. Wiltse, an attorney who had worked in various positions for the state of Illinois and at the time of the election was a special assistant attorney general representing the Illinois Lottery. After losing the general election, Wiltse would remain in that office until 1994. In 1993, he began working as the city attorney of Des Plaines, an office he would hold until retiring in 2012. [10] Wiltse would later run unsuccessfully for judgeships on the Cook County Circuit Court in 1998 and 2001. [11]

Cook County Board of Appeals Republican primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican David R. Wiltse 154,447 100
Total votes154,447 100

Illinois Solidarity

No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary. [2]

General election

Cook County Board of Appeals Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Joseph Berrios 1,170,558 60.68
Republican David R. Wiltse714,73639.32
Total votes1,885,294 100

Water Reclamation District Board

1988 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election
  1986 November 8, 1988 1990  

3 of 9 seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago

In the 1988 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election, three of the nine seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago board were up for election in an at-large election. [1] All three Democratic nominees won. [1]

Judicial elections

Pasrtisan elections were held for judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County due to vacancies. [1] Retention elections were also held for the Circuit Court. [1]

Other elections

Coinciding with the primaries, elections were held to elect the Democratic, Republican, and Illinois Solidarity committeemen for the wards of Chicago. [2]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 "OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS GENERAL ELECTION COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 1988" (PDF). voterinfo.net. Cook County Clerk. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 3, 2008.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS PRIMARY ELECTION COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS TUESDAY, MARCH 15, 1988" (PDF). voterinfo.net. Cook County Clerk. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 3, 2008.
  3. Fremon, David (February 1994). "Cook County Presidency Plum". Illinois Issues. 23. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  4. "STATE OF ILLINOIS OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 15, 1988" (PDF). Illinois Secretary of State. Retrieved October 17, 2020.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "STATE OF ILLINOIS OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 8, 1988" (PDF). Illinois Secretary of State. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  6. Jensen, Trevor (April 6, 2010). "Thomas S. Fuller, 1934-2010: Former water district chief convicted in corruption probe". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  7. "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Janice Hart". www.ourcampaigns.com. Our Campaigns. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  8. "African Americans and the Vote: Firsts in Cook County Leadership | CookCountyIL.gov". www.cookcountyil.gov. Government of Cook County. Archived from the original on October 18, 2020. Retrieved October 22, 2020.
  9. 1 2 3 "SEMROW'S SUCCESSOR ON TAX APPEALS BOARD NAMED". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. January 5, 1988. Retrieved October 18, 2020.
  10. "HR1127". Illinois General Assembly. 2012. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  11. Multiple sources: