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1986 Illinois elections

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1986 Illinois elections
← 1984 November 4, 1986 1988 →
Turnout55.34%
Elections in Illinois
Federal government
U.S. Presidential elections
U.S. Senate elections
U.S. House elections
State government
General elections
Gubernatorial elections
Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections
Attorney General elections
Secretary of State elections
Comptroller elections
Senate elections
House of Representatives elections
Judicial elections
Ballot measures and referendums
Chicago
General elections
Mayoral elections
Aldermanic elections
Chicago Board of Education elections
Cook County
County elections
Rockford
Mayoral elections
  • 2021

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 4, 1986.

Primaries were held March 18, 1986.[1]

Election information

[edit]

1986 was a midterm election year in the United States.

Creation of the Illinois Solidarity Party

[edit]

After LaRouche movement disciples won the Democratic primaries for Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State, Adlai Stevenson III created the Solidarity Party primarily to run Democratic candidates against them in the general election. He himself dropped off of the Democratic ticket for Governor, which he had won the primary for, and ran instead as the Solidarity Party candidate for Governor. The two Lyndon LaRouche-affiliated candidates, Mark J. Fairchild for Lieutenant Governor and Janice Hart for Secretary of State, had not seen their affiliations with LaRouche well-publicized until after they won their upset primary defeats over Stevenson-backed candidates George Sangmeister and Aurelia Pucinski.[2]

Illinois law required any unestablished party to run a full slate in order to obtain ballot access,[3] thus, Stevenson ran candidates in all races.

Turnout

[edit]

Turnout in the primary was 26.23%, with 1,602,156 ballots cast. 1,014,908 Democratic and 570,661 Republican primary ballots were cast.[1]

Turnout in the general election was 55.34%, with 3,332,450 ballots cast.[4]

Straight-ticket voting

[edit]

Illinois had a straight-ticket voting option in 1986.[4]

Party Number of
straight-ticket
votes[4]
Democratic 107,788
Republican 465,469
Allin Walker 17
Illinois Solidarity 1,901
Libertarian 1,239
Quality Congressional Representation 421
Socialist Workers 358

Federal elections

[edit]

United States Senate

[edit]
Main article: 1986 United States Senate election in Illinois
See also: 1986 United States Senate elections

Incumbent Democratic Senator Alan Dixon was reelected.

United States House

[edit]
Main article: 1986 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois
See also: 1986 United States House of Representatives elections

All Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1986.

State elections

[edit]

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

[edit]
Main article: 1986 Illinois gubernatorial election
1986 Illinois gubernatorial election
← 1982 November 4, 1986 1990 →
Turnout52.37%
 
Nominee James R. Thompson Adlai Stevenson III No candidate
Party Republican Illinois Solidarity Democratic
Running mate George Ryan Mike Howlett Mark Fairchild
Popular vote 1,655,849 1,256,626 208,830
Percentage 52.7% 40.0% 6.6%
County Results:


Thompson:      40-50%      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%
Stevenson:      40-50%

     50-60%
Governor before election

James R. Thompson
Republican

Elected Governor

James R. Thompson
Republican

Incumbent Governor James R. Thompson won reelection to a fourth term, defeating Adlai Stevenson III. This was a rematch of the previous 1982 gubernatorial election, which saw Stevenson as a Democratic nominee.

Stevenson, who had won the Democratic gubernatorial primary, withdrew from the Democratic ticket after Mark Fairchild, a follower of Lyndon LaRouche, won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Stevenson refused to run on a ticket with supporters of LaRouche's ideology. Stevenson instead created the Illinois Solidarity Party and ran as its nominee.

Gubernatorial election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James R. Thompson (incumbent) / George Ryan (incumbent) 1,655,849 52.67
Illinois Solidarity Adlai Stevenson III / Mike Howlett 1,256,626 39.97
Democratic No candidate / Mark Fairchild 208,830 6.64
Libertarian Gary L. Shilts/ Gerry Walsh 15,646 0.50
Socialist Workers Diane Roling/ Jim Little 6,843 0.22
Write-in Others 184 0.01
Total votes 3,143,978 100

Attorney General

[edit]
1986 Illinois Attorney General election
← 1982 November 4, 1986 1990 →
Turnout51.95%[4]
 
Nominee Neil Hartigan Bernard Carey
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,925,012 1,129,193
Percentage 61.71% 36.20%
County results
Hartigan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Carey:      40–50%      50–60%
Attorney General before election

Neil Hartigan
Democratic

Elected Attorney General

Neil Hartigan
Democratic

Incumbent Attorney General Neil Hartigan, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Incumbent Neil Hartigan defeated Chicago alderman Martin J. Oberman in the Democratic primary.

Hartigan had originally declared his intention to forgo seeking reelection, and instead run for governor, but he ultimately reversed course and sought reelection after Adlai Stevenson III entered the race for governor.[5][6]

Attorney General Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Neil F. Hartigan (incumbent) 531,801 61.67
Democratic Martin J. Oberman 330,561 38.33
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 862,363 100

Republican primary

[edit]

Republican Village President of Arlington Heights James T. Ryan won the Republican primary, running unopposed.[1][7] Ryan stepped-down as nominee after allegations arose that he had committed domestic abuse against both his wife and ex-wife, which arose soon after he received his party's nomination.[7][8]

There had been originally been several other candidates running for the Republican nomination in the primary, but all withdrew soon after Democratic incumbent Hartigan announced that he would seek reelection.[5]

If he had been elected, Ryan would have been the first Republican sitting mayor elected to statewide office in Illinois since Edward C. Akin was elected Attorney General in 1898.[5]

After Ryan withdrew as the Republican nominee, he was replaced on the ballot by Bernard Carey, a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners who had also formerly served as Cook County State's Attorney from 1972 through 1980.[6] Ryan's withdrawal had taken place five months before the general election.[6]

Attorney General Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican James T. Ryan 434,917 100
Write-in Others 4 0.00
Total votes 434,921 100

General election

[edit]
Attorney General election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Neil Hartigan (incumbent) 1,925,012 61.71
Republican Bernard Carey 1,129,193 36.20
Illinois Solidarity John Ray Keith 33,702 1.08
Libertarian Natalie Loder Clark 24,068 0.77
Socialist Workers Scott Dombeck 7,254 0.23
Total votes 3,119,229 100

Secretary of State

[edit]
1986 Illinois Secretary of State election
← 1982 November 4, 1986 1990 →
Turnout51.97[4]
 
Nominee Jim Edgar Jane Spirgel Janice Hart
Party Republican Illinois Solidarity Democratic
Popular vote 2,095,489 521,410 478,361
Percentage 67.16% 16.71% 15.33%
County Results:
Edgar:     40-50%     50-60%     60-70%     70-80%     80-90%
Secretary of State before election

Jim Edgar
Republican

Elected Secretary of State

Jim Edgar
Republican

Incumbent Secretary of State Jim Edgar, a Republican first appointed in 1981 and subsequently elected to a full term in 1982, was reelected to a second full term.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Little known candidate Janice Hart won an upset victory over Aurelia Pucinski (who had the backing of Adlai Stevenson III and others).[2] While, not well-reported until after the primary, Hart was a member of the LaRouche movement.[2]

Secretary of State Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Janice A. Hart 375,405 51.17
Democratic Aurelia Marie Pucinski 358,232 48.83
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 733,637 100

Republican primary

[edit]
Secretary of State Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Edgar (incumbent) 487,842 100
Write-in Others 8 0.00
Total votes 487,850 100

General election

[edit]

The Illinois Solidarity Party ran Jane N. Spirgel in the election. Spirgel was an outgoing member of the DuPage County Board (on which she was the sole remaining Democratic member and had first been elected in 1974).[9]

Secretary of State election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Edgar 2,095,489 67.16
Illinois Solidarity Jane N. Spirgel 521,410 16.71
Democratic Janice A. Hart 478,361 15.33
Libertarian Steven L. Givot 17,566 0.56
Socialist Workers Holly Harkness 7,549 0.24
Total votes 3,120,375 100

Comptroller

[edit]
1986 Illinois State Comptroller election
← 1982 November 4, 1986 1990 →
Turnout51.07%[4]
 
Nominee Roland Burris Adeline Geo-Karis
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,880,413 1,074,923
Percentage 61.33% 35.06%
State Comptroller before election

Roland Burris
Democratic

Elected State Comptroller

Dawn Clark Netsch
Democratic

Incumbent Comptroller Roland Burris, a Democrat, was reelected to a third term.

Democratic primary

[edit]
Comptroller Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Roland W. Burris (incumbent) 633,142 77.74
Democratic Donald S. Clark 181,252 22.26
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 814,395 100

Republican primary

[edit]

State Senator Adeline Jay Geo-Karis won the Republican primary unopposed.

Comptroller Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Adeline Jay Geo-Karis 415,009 100
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 415,010 100

General election

[edit]
Comptroller election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Roland W. Burris (incumbent) 1,880,413 61.33
Republican Adeline Jay Geo-Karis 1,074,923 35.06
Illinois Solidarity A. Patricia Scott 78,389 2.56
Libertarian Donald Morris 22,428 0.73
Socialist Workers Jim Miles 9,998 0.33
Total votes 3,066,151 100

Treasurer

[edit]
1986 Illinois State Treasurer election
← 1982 November 4, 1986 1990 →
Turnout51.08%[4]
 
Nominee Jerome Cosentino J. Michael Houston
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,724,979 1,252,796
Percentage 56.25% 40.85%
Treasurer before election

James Donnewald
Democratic

Elected Treasurer

Jerome Cosentino
Democratic

Incumbent Treasurer James Donnewald, a Democrat, lost the Democratic primary to former Treasurer Jerome Cosentino. Consentino won the general election, earning him a second non-consecutive term.

Democratic primary

[edit]

Incumbent James Donnewald lost renomination to former Treasurer Jerome Cosentino. Donnewald had been the party organization's favored candidate.[10][11] Other candidates running included Cook County Board of Appeals member Pat Quinn and LaRouche movement member Robert D. Hart (who had the formal backing of Lyndon LaRouche's NDPC).[12]

Treasurer Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jerry Cosentino 241,006 30.22
Democratic James H. Donnewald (incumbent) 235,052 29.47
Democratic Patrick Quinn 208,775 26.18
Democratic Robert D. Hart 112,645 14.13
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 797,478 100

Republican primary

[edit]

J. Michael Houston, the mayor of Springfield, won the Republican nomination.[11] Houston was seeking to become the first Republican Illinois Treasurer in over twenty years.[11] He was also seeking to be the first Republican sitting mayor elected to statewide office in Illinois since Edward C. Akin was elected Illinois Attorney General in 1898.[5]

Treasurer Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Mike Houston 421,486 100
Write-in Others 3 0.00
Total votes 421,489 100

General election

[edit]
Treasurer election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Jerry Cosentino 1,724,979 56.25
Republican Mike Houston 1,252,796 40.85
Illinois Solidarity William E. Skedd 50,570 1.65
Libertarian Jay D. Marsh 19,875 0.65
Socialist Workers Lucille Robbins 18,285 0.60
Total votes 3,066,505 100

State Senate

[edit]

Some of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1986. Democrats retained control of the chamber.

State House of Representatives

[edit]

All of the seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1986. Democrats retained control of the chamber.

Trustees of University of Illinois

[edit]
1986 Trustees of University of Illinois election
← 1984 November 4, 1986 1988 →

An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois system for six year terms.

The election saw the reelection incumbent Democrat Nina T. Shepherd to a third term, as well as the election of new Democratic trustees Judith Ann Calder and Charles Wolff.[4][13]

First-term incumbent Republicans Galey Day and Dean E. Madden lost reelection.[4][13]

Trustees of the University of Illinois election[4][13]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nina T. Shephered (incumbent) 1,394,762 16.67
Democratic Judith Ann Calder 1,362,623 16.29
Democratic Charles Wolff 1,300,436 15.54
Republican Dean E. Madden (incumbent) 1,271,806 15.20
Republican Mrs. Galey Day (incumbent) 1,253,707 14.99
Republican David A. McConnell 1,221,379 14.60
Illinois Solidarity Elena Mulcahy 108,337 1.30
Illinois Solidarity James S. Spencer 102,419 1.22
Illinois Solidarity Philip Martin 92,253 1.10
Libertarian Anne McCracken 83,586 1.00
Libertarian Stephen N. Nelson 52,823 0.63
Libertarian Gene Bourke 43,312 0.52
Socialist Workers Pedro Vasquez 31,220 0.37
Socialist Workers Cathleen Gutekanst 28,093 0.34
Socialist Workers Stephen Bloodworth 19,755 0.24
Total votes 8,366,511 100

Judicial elections

[edit]

Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 1986.[4]

Ballot measures

[edit]

Illinois voters voted on two ballot measures in 1986,[14] both of them legislatively referred constitutional amendments. In order to be approved, measures required either 60% support among those specifically voting on the amendment or 50% support among all ballots cast in the elections.[14]

Bail Amendment

[edit]

Voters approved the Bail Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which amended Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution of Illinois to further expand the population that may be denied bail.[14][15]

Bail Amendment[4][14][15]
Option Votes % of votes
on measure 		% of all ballots
cast
Yes 1,368,242 77.25 41.18
No 402,891 22.75 12.13
Total votes 1,771,133 100 53.31
Voter turnout 29.50%

Exempt Veterans' Organizations from Property Taxes Amendment

[edit]

Exempt Veterans' Organizations from Property Taxes Amendment, a legislatively refereed constitutional amendment which would amend Article IX, Section 6 of the Constitution of Illinois to exempt property used exclusively by veterans' organizations from property taxes, failed to meet either threshold amend the constitution.[14][16]

Exempt Veterans' Organizations from Property Taxes Amendment[4][14][16]
Option Votes % of votes
on measure 		% of all ballots
cast
Yes 860,609 54.19 25.90
No 727,737 45.82 21.90
Total votes 1,588,346 100 47.80
Voter turnout 26.46%

Local elections

[edit]

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

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH 18, 1986" (PDF). www.elections.il.gov. Illinois Secretary of State. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c Malcolm, Andrew H. (March 20, 1986), "2 CONSERVATIVE EXTREMISTS UPSET DEMOCRATS IN THE ILLINOIS PRIMARY", New York Times, pp. A18, retrieved November 9, 2016
  3. ^ "Right to Run: Ballot access laws across the country exclude third party candidates". The Politic. March 19, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 4, 1986" (PDF). www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved April 10, 2020.[permanent dead link‍]
  5. ^ a b c d Dold, R. Bruce (December 8, 1985). "RYAN FIGHTS HISTORY IN CAMPAIGN". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  6. ^ a b c Dold, R. Bruce (October 30, 1986). "CAREY FIGHTS HARTIGAN`S LEAD IN ATTORNEY GENERAL CONTEST". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Former Wheeling Township Supervisor, Former Acting Arlington Heights Mayor Michael Schroeder Dies at 61". Cardinal News. Arlington Cardinal. May 8, 2016. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  8. ^ Daley, Steve (May 25, 1986). "PAPER DIDN`T TRAMPLE PRIVACY WITH SCOOP". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  9. ^ Schmeltzer, John. "`SPUNKY` SPIRGEL LAST DEMOCRATIC SURVIVOR ON DU PAGE COUNTY BOARD". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  10. ^ Neal, Steve (June 12, 1986). "COSENTINO: NEVER ONE TO DUCK A FIGHT". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  11. ^ a b c Devall, Cheryl (October 14, 1986). "COSENTINO`S EDGE CUTS BOTH WAYS". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved March 27, 2020.
  12. ^ West, Harry G.; Sanders, Todd (April 17, 2003). "Transparency and Conspiracy: Ethnographies of Suspicion in the New World Order". Duke University Press. p. 224. Retrieved April 10, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c "Trustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees" (PDF). University of Illinois. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  14. ^ a b c d e f "Illinois Constitution - Amendments Proposed". www.ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  15. ^ a b "Illinois Bail Amendment (1986)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  16. ^ a b "Illinois Exempt Veterans' Organizations from Property Taxes (1986)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
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