2002 Illinois elections

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2002 Illinois elections
Flag of Illinois.svg
  2000 November 5, 2002 2004  
Turnout51.86%

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 5, 2002. Primary elections were held on March 19, 2002.

Contents

The Democratic Party made gains in these elections, while the Republican Party conversely saw losses. The Democratic Party retained their control of the State House and flipped control of the State Senate. The Democratic Party also won the Governorship and Lieutenant Governorship in their combined election, ending 26 years of Republican control of the state's executive branch. In addition, among the other four statewide elected offices, the Democratic Party retained their hold of two (Secretary of State and Comptroller), while flipping another (Attorney General). This left Illinois Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka as the sole remaining Republican holder of a statewide office.

The losses for Republicans continued a decline of fortunes that had taken place in the state of Illinois over the last several elections for the party, which previously had held all statewide elected offices and both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly in the mid-1990s (following the 1994 elections).

Election information

2002 was a midterm election year in the United States.

Turnout

Primary election

For the primary election, turnout was 32.84%, with 2,321,875 votes cast. [1]

Turnout by county [1]

General election

For the general election, turnout was 51.86%, with 3,653,060 votes cast. [1]

Turnout by county [1]

Federal elections

United States Senate

Incumbent Democratic United States Senator Dick Durbin won reelection to a second term.

United States House

Illinois had lost one seat in the reapportionment following the 2000 United States census. All 19 of Illinois' remaining seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2002.

Before the election, Democrats and Republicans each held 10 seats from Illinois. In 2002, Republicans won 10 seats while Democrats won 9.

State elections

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

2002 Illinois gubernatorial election
Flag of Illinois.svg
  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  
Turnout50.05%
  B-Rod.jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Rod Blagojevich Jim Ryan
Party Democratic Republican
Running mate Pat Quinn Carl Hawkinson
Popular vote1,847,0401,594,961
Percentage52.2%45.1%

2002 Illinois gubernatorial election results map by county.svg
County results
Blagojevich:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Ryan:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Governor before election

George Ryan
Republican

Elected Governor

Rod Blagojevich
Democratic

Incumbent Governor George Ryan, a Republican plagued by scandals, did not seek reelection. Democrat Rod Blagojevich was elected to succeed him.

Governor/Lieutenant Governor election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Rod Blagojevich / Pat Quinn 1,847,04052.19
Republican Jim Ryan / Carl Hawkinson1,594,96145.07
Libertarian Cal Skinner73,7942.09
Independent Marisellis Brown23,0890.65
Write-in Peter Dale Kauss80.00
Total votes3,538,891 100

Attorney General

2002 Illinois Attorney General election
Flag of Illinois.svg
  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  
Turnout49.68%
  Lisa Madigan convocation (3x4a).JPG 3x4.svg
Nominee Lisa Madigan Joe Birkett
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote1,762,9491,648,003
Percentage50.39%47.10%

2002 Illinois Attorney General election results map by county.svg
County results
Madigan:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%
Birkett:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Attorney General before election

Jim Ryan
Republican

Elected Attorney General

Lisa Madigan
Democratic

Incumbent Attorney General Jim Ryan, a Republican, did not seek a third term, instead opting to run for governor. Democrat Lisa Madigan was elected to succeed him.

Democratic primary

Attorney General Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Lisa Madigan 698,250 58.21
Democratic John Schmidt 501,19041.79
Total votes1,199,440 100
Democratic primary by county
Map legend
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Schmidt 50-60%
Madigan 50-60%
Madigan 60-70%
Madigan 70-80%
Madigan 80-90% 2002 Illinois Attorney General Democratic Primary by County.svg
Democratic primary by county
Map legend
  •   Schmidt 50–60%
  •   Madigan 50–60%
  •   Madigan 60–70%
  •   Madigan 70–80%
  •   Madigan 80-90%

Republican primary

Attorney General Republican primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Joe Birkett 527,160 64.04
Republican Bob Coleman295,95835.96
Total votes823,118 100

General election

Polling
Poll sourceDate(s)
administered
Sample
size [c]
Margin
of error
Lisa
Madigan (D)
Joe
Birkett (R)
Gary
Shilts (L)
Other /
Undecided
SurveyUSA [3] October 28–30, 2002510 (LV)± 4.4%48%43%5%5%
Results
Attorney General election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Lisa Madigan 1,762,949 50.39
Republican Joe Birkett 1,648,00347.10
Libertarian Gary L. Shilts87,9492.51
Total votes3,498,901 100

Secretary of State

2002 Illinois Secretary of State election
Flag of Illinois.svg
  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  
Turnout49.99%
  Jesse White 5472261910 76261f0802 o (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Jesse White Kris O'Rourke Cohn
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote2,390,1811,051,672
Percentage67.89%28.87%

2002 Illinois Secretary of State election results map by county.svg
County results
White:     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%

Secretary of State before election

Jesse White
Democratic

Elected Secretary of State

Jesse White
Democratic

Incumbent Secretary of State Jesse White, a Democrat, won reelection to a second term in office.

Democratic primary

Secretary of State Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jesse White (incumbent) 1,104,041 100
Total votes1,104,041 100

Republican primary

Secretary of State Republican primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Kris O'Rourke Cohn 725,591 100
Total votes725,591 100

General election

White carried all of Illinois' 102 counties. [4]

Secretary of State election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Jesse White (incumbent) 2,390,181 67.89
Republican Kris O'Rourke Cohn1,051,67228.87
Libertarian Matt Beauchamp78,8302.24
Total votes3,520,683 100

Comptroller

2002 Illinois State Comptroller election
Flag of Illinois.svg
  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  
Turnout48.32%
  Daniel Hynes DNC (1).jpg 3x4.svg
Nominee Daniel Hynes Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote2,150,4251,108,984
Percentage63.18%32.58%

Illinois Comptroller Election Results by County, 2002.svg
County results
Hynes:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Ramsdell:     40–50%     50–60%

State Comptroller before election

Daniel Hynes
Democratic

Elected State Comptroller

Daniel Hynes
Democratic

Incumbent Comptroller Daniel Hynes, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term.

Democratic primary

Comptroller Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Daniel Hynes (incumbent) 1,002,585 100
Total votes1,002,585 100

Republican primary

Comptroller Republican primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell 717,379 100
Total votes717,379 100

General election

2002 Illinois attorney general debate
No.DateHostModeratorLink Democratic Republican
Key:
 P Participant  A Absent  N Not invited  I Invited  W  Withdrawn
Daniel Hynes Thomas Ramsdell
1Oct. 18, 2002 City Club of Chicago Paul Green YouTube PP
Comptroller election [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Daniel Hynes (incumbent) 2,150,425 63.18
Republican Thomas Jefferson Ramsdell1,108,98440.88
Libertarian Julie Fox144,0664.23
Total votes3,403,475 100

Treasurer

2002 Illinois State Treasurer election
Flag of Illinois.svg
  1998 November 5, 2002 2006  
Turnout49.15%
  Judy Baar Topinka.jpg Tom Dart 2017-06-08 (1).png
Nominee Judy Baar Topinka Tom Dart
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote1,896,0201,499,055
Percentage54.77%43.30%

2002 Illinois State Treasurer election results map by county.svg
County results
Topinka:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%     70–80%
Dart:     40–50%     50–60%     60–70%

Treasurer before election

Judy Baar Topinka
Republican

Elected Treasurer

Judy Baar Topinka
Republican

Incumbent Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, a Republican, was reelected to a third term.

Democratic primary

Treasurer Democratic primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Democratic Thomas J. Dart 966,421 100
Total votes966,421 100

Republican primary

Treasurer Republican primary [2]
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Judy Baar Topinka (incumbent) 773,416 100
Total votes773,416 100

General election

Treasurer election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Republican Judy Baar Topinka (incumbent) 1,896,020 54.77
Democratic Thomas J. Dart 1,499,05543.30
Libertarian Rhys Read66,5931.92
Total votes3,461,668 100

State Senate

2002 Illinois Senate election
Flag of Illinois.svg
  2000 November 5, 2002 (2002-11-05) 2004  

59 of 59 seats in the Illinois Senate
30 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority partyThird party
  Emil Jones at UIC Feb23 2009 Cropped (1).jpg 3x4.svg 3x4.svg
Leader Emil Jones James Philip N/A
Party Democratic Republican Independent
Leader's seat 14th 23rd N/A
Last election27320
Seats won32261
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 5Decrease2.svg 6Increase2.svg 1

2002 IL Senate G&H.svg
Results:
     Democratic gain     Republican gain     Independent gain
     Democratic hold     Republican hold

President before election

James Philip
Republican

Elected President

Emil Jones
Democratic

All 59 of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 2002, [5] as this election followed a redistricting. Control of the Illinois Senate was flipped from Republican to Democratic. [6] Republicans had been in control of the State Senate since 1993, having captured a majority from the 1992 election. [6]

State House of Representatives

2002 Illinois House of Representatives election
Flag of Illinois.svg
  2000 November 5, 2002 (2002-11-05) 2004  

All 118 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives
60 seats needed for a majority
 Majority partyMinority party
  Michael Madigan Cropped.png Lee A. Daniels, 1987.jpg
Leader Michael Madigan Lee Daniels
(retired)
Party Democratic Republican
Leader's seat22nd46th
Last election6256
Seats won6652
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 4Decrease2.svg 4

Illinois State House 2002 Results.svg
Results:
     Democratic gain
     Democratic hold     Republican hold

Speaker before election

Michael Madigan
Democratic

Speaker-Elect

Michael Madigan
Democratic

All of the seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 2002. Democrats retained control of the House, which they had held since 1997, having won a majority in the 1996 election. [6] Republican Leader Lee Daniels had resigned as Chair of the Illinois GOP in July, but maintained his position as Minority Leader in the House until after the 2002 elections. [7] Madigan continued as Speaker and Democratic chair after the elections.

Judicial elections

Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 2002.

Local elections

Local elections were held. These included county elections, such as the Cook County elections.

Notes

  1. For more on Cook County primary election turnout, see 2002 Cook County, Illinois elections#Primary election
  2. For more on Cook County general election turnout, see 2002 Cook County, Illinois elections#General election
  3. Key:
    A – all adults
    RV – registered voters
    LV – likely voters
    V – unclear

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Voter Turnout". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on May 30, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 "Election Results". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original on February 22, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  3. SurveyUSA
  4. Hinton, Rachel (December 1, 2020). "Cook County Clerk Karen Yarbrough eyeing run for Illinois secretary of state". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  5. "Illinois State Senate elections, 2002". Ballotpedia. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  6. 1 2 3 "Party control of Illinois state government". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  7. "Daniels to leave helm in House". Chicago Tribune. October 8, 2002. Retrieved August 20, 2023.