1920 United States Senate election in Illinois
← 1914 November 2, 1920 1926 →
 
Nominee William B. McKinley Peter A. Waller
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,381,384 554,372
Percentage 66.83% 26.82%
Results by county
McKinley:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Waller:      40–50%      50–60%
U.S. senator before election

Lawrence Yates Sherman
Republican

Elected U.S. senator

William B. McKinley
Republican

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The 1920 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 2, 1920.[1]

Incumbent Republican senator Lawrence Yates Sherman opted to retire rather than seeking reelection. Fellow Republican William B. McKinley was elected to succeed him in office.

Election information

The primaries and general election coincided with those for House and those for state elections, but not those for president.[1] Primaries were held September 15, 1920.[1]

The 1920 United States Senate elections were the first to be held since the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granted national women's suffrage. This was the first Illinois U.S. Senate election in which women could vote.

Background

In 1916, incumbent Lawrence Yates Sherman made the decision to retire from politics and to not seek reelection in 1920, due to his failing hearing, which prevented him from hearing what was said on the Senate floor.[2]

Democratic primary

Candidates

Campaign

Burke, known as "O.K. Bobby" by supporters, stood on a platform opposed to the League of Nations and ratification of the Treaty of Versailles. He was also opposed to Prohibition and critical of President Wilson.[3] Waller had the support of the Democratic establishment.[3] Neither ran an active campaign.[3]

Results

Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Peter A. Waller 87,643 51.17
Democratic Robert Emmet Burke 83,624 48.83
Total votes 171,267 100

Republican primary

Candidates

Results

Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William B. McKinley 372,530 46.60
Republican Frank L. Smith 361,130 45.18
Republican Burnett M. Chiperfield 65,742 8.22
Total votes 799,402 100

Socialist primary

Candidates

Results

Socialist primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Socialist Gustave T. Fraenckel 2,013 100
Total votes 2,013 100

General election

Candidates

Results

1920 United States Senate election in Illinois[1][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William B. McKinley 1,381,384 66.83
Democratic Peter A. Waller 554,372 26.82
Socialist Gustave T. Fraenckel 66,463 3.22
Farmer–Labor John Fitzpatrick 50,749 2.46
Prohibition Frank B. Vennum 10,186 0.49
Socialist Labor Joseph B. Moody 3,107 0.15
Single Tax George Dodd Carrington Jr. 784 0.04
Majority 827,012 40.01
Turnout 2,067,045
Republican hold

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g "OFFICIAL VOTE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS CAST AT THE GENERAL ELECTION, Nov. 2, 1920 Delegeates to Constitutional Convention Questions of Public Policy, Nov, 4, 1919, Judicial Elections, 1919-1920 PRIMARY ELECTIONS, General Primary, Sept, 15, 1920 Delegates to the Constitutional Convention, Sept. 10, 1919 Presidential Preference April 13, 1920" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 17, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
  2. ^ Stone, Ralph A. (1970). The Irreconcilables: The Fight Against the League of Nations. The University Press of Kentucky. p. 67.
  3. ^ a b c d "Igoe Defeats Hoyne 15,000 in Democrat Race; Burke, Anti-League, Leads in Chicago". The Chicago Tribune. September 16, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
  4. ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Frank B. Vennum". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
  5. ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1920" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
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