1990 Illinois gubernatorial election

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1990 Illinois gubernatorial election
Flag of Illinois.svg
←  1986 November 6, 1990 1994  →
Turnout54.00% Increase2.svg 1.63 pp
  Secretary of State Jim Edgar (1989-1990 Illinois Blue Book Portrait) (3x4).jpg Attorney General Neil Hartigan (cropped).jpg
Nominee Jim Edgar Neil Hartigan
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Bob Kustra Jim Burns
Popular vote1,653,1261,569,217
Percentage50.75%48.17%
1990 Illinois gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
Illinois 1990 Governor election by township.svg
Edgar:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Hartigan:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Governor before election

James R. Thompson
Republican

Elected Governor

Jim Edgar
Republican

The 1990 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990 to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Illinois. The incumbent Governor Jim Thompson chose to retire instead of seeking reelection to a fifth term. The Republican nominee, Secretary of State Jim Edgar, narrowly defeated the Democratic nominee, Attorney General Neil Hartigan, by about 80,000 votes out of the over 3.2 million cast (a margin of 2.58%).

Contents

This was the first open-seat gubernatorial election in Illinois since 1952, which was 38 years previously. A competitive race, it had the narrowest margin of victory for a statewide election in Illinois that cycle and was one of the closest gubernatorial races in the nation that year. At the time, it was the costliest campaign in state history. [1]

Background

The primaries and general elections coincided with those for federal elections (Senate and House), as well as those for other state offices. The election was part of the 1990 Illinois elections.

For the primaries, turnout for the gubernatorial primaries was 26.11%, with 1,570,596 votes cast and turnout for the lieutenant gubernatorial primaries was 21.67% with 1,303,250 votes cast. [2] For the general election, turnout was 54.00%, with 3,257,410 votes cast. [3]

Democratic primary

Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, running unopposed.

Governor

Democratic gubernatorial primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Neil F. Hartigan 802,901 100
Total votes802,901 100

Lieutenant governor

James B. Burns, future attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, won the Democratic nomination, running unopposed.

Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic James B. Burns 719,091 100
Total votes719,091 100

Republican primary

Governor

Illinois Secretary of State Jim Edgar defeated investor and conservative political activist Steve Baer, as well as perennial candidate Robert Marshall.

Republican gubernatorial primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Jim Edgar 482,441 62.84
Republican Steve Baer 256,88933.46
Republican Robert Marshall28,3653.69
Total votes767,695 100

Lieutenant governor

Illinois State Senator Bob Kustra won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor.

Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Bob Kustra 584,121 100
Republican Henry Gillman380.00
Total votes584,159 100

Solidarity primary

Only 13 votes were cast in the primary, all write in votes for Jeff W. Smith. The party, nevertheless, ultimately nominated Jessie Fields.

Governor

Solidarity gubernatorial primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Write-in Jeff W. Smith 13 100
Total votes13 100

General election

1990 gubernatorial election, Illinois [3] f
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Republican Jim Edgar 1,653,12650.75−1.92
Democratic Neil Hartigan 1,569,21748.17+41.53
Illinois Solidarity Jessie Fields35,0671.08−38.89
Majority83,9092.58−10.12
Turnout 3,257,410
Republican hold Swing

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References

  1. ↑ Tribune, Chicago (February 1, 1991). "EDGAR-HARTIGAN CLASH COST NEARLY $20 MILLION". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved August 22, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "State of Illinois official vote cast at the primary election held on ..." Illinois State Board of Elections. 1966. Retrieved April 8, 2020.
  3. 1 2 "State of Illinois official vote cast at the general election ." Illinois State Board of Elections. 1978. Retrieved April 8, 2020.


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