1960 Illinois elections
← 1958 November 8, 1960 1962 →
Turnout88.11%
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
Cicero
Municipal elections
Cook County
County elections

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 8, 1960.[1]

Primaries were held on April 12.[1][2]

Election information

Turnout

In the primaries, turnout was 40.92%, with 2,082,667 ballots cast (1,171,488 Democratic and 911,179 Republican).[1][2][3]

In the general election, turnout was 88.11%, with 4,845,319 ballots cast.[1][3]

Federal elections

United States President

Main article: 1960 United States presidential election in Illinois

See also: 1960 United States presidential election

Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

United States Senate

Main article: 1960 United States Senate election in Illinois

See also: 1960 United States Senate elections

Democratic Senator Paul Douglas was reelected to a third term.

United States House

Main article: 1960 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois

See also: 1960 United States House of Representatives elections

All 25 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1960.

No seats switched parties, leaving Illinois' House delegation to consist of 14 Democrats and 11 Republicans.

State elections

Governor

Main article: 1960 Illinois gubernatorial election
1960 Illinois gubernatorial election
← 1956 November 8, 1960 1964 →
Turnout84.99%[3][4]
 
Nominee Otto Kerner Jr. William Stratton
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,418,394 2,239,095
Percentage 51.9% 48.1%
Governor before election

William Stratton
Republican

Elected Governor

Otto Kerner Jr.
Democratic

Incumbent Governor William Stratton, a Republican seeking a third term, lost reelection to Democrat Otto Kerner Jr.

General election

Gubernatorial election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Otto Kerner Jr. 2,594,731 55.51
Republican William G. Stratton (incumbent) 2,070,479 44.30
Socialist Labor Edward C. Cross 8,976 0.19
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 4,674,187 100

Lieutenant governor

1960 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election
← 1956 November 8, 1960 1964 →
Turnout83.10%[3][4]
 
Nominee Samuel H. Shapiro John William Chapman
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,398,746 2,162,643
Percentage 52.49% 47.32%
Lieutenant Governor before election

John William Chapman
Republican

Elected Lieutenant Governor

Samuel H. Shapiro
Democratic

Incumbent Lieutenant Governor John William Chapman, a Republican seeking a third term, lost reelection to Democrat Samuel H. Shapiro.

Democratic primary

Lieutenant Governor Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Samuel H. Shapiro 559,341 58.49
Democratic Robert W. McGaw 247,164 25.85
Democratic John L. "Jake" Wellinghoff 149,739 15.66
Total votes 956,244 100

Republican primary

Lieutenant Governor Republican primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John William Chapman (incumbent) 592,812 80.01
Republican Wetzel G. Harness 148,123 19.99
Total votes 740,935 100

General election

Lieutenant Governor election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Samuel H. Shapiro 2,398,746 52.49
Republican John William Chapman (incumbent) 2,162,643 47.32
Socialist Labor Elizabeth Mitroff 8,494 0.19
Total votes 4,569,883 100

Attorney general

1960 Illinois Attorney General election
← 1956 November 8, 1960 1964 →
Turnout82.80%[3][4]
 
Nominee William G. Clark William L. Guild
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,354,886 2,190,251
Percentage 51.72% 48.10%
Attorney General before election

William L. Guild
Republican

Elected Attorney General

William G. Clark
Democratic

Incumbent Attorney General William L. Guild (a Republican appointed in 1960 after the death in office of Grenville Beardsley) lost to Democrat William G. Clark.

Originally, before his death, Grenville Beardsley (himself a Republican that had been appointed in 1959 after Latham Castle resigned to assume a judgeship) had been seeking reelection, having won the Republican primary.

Democratic primary

Attorney General Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William G. Clark 800,132 100
Total votes 800,132 100

Republican primary

Attorney General Republican primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Grenville Beardsley (incumbent) 685,967 100
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 685,968 100

General election

Attorney General election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William G. Clark 2,354,886 51.72
Republican William L. Guild (incumbent) 2,190,251 48.10
Socialist Labor George P. Milonas 8,387 0.18
Total votes 4,553,524 100

Secretary of State

1960 Illinois Secretary of State election
← 1956 November 8, 1960 1964 →
Turnout84.26%[3][4]
 
Nominee Charles F. Carpentier James R. McLaughlin
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 2,505,255 2,120,339
Percentage 54.06% 45.76%
Secretary of State before election

Charles F. Carpentier
Republican

Elected Secretary of State

Charles F. Carpentier
Republican

Incumbent Secretary of State Charles F. Carpentier, a Republican, was reelected to a third term.

Democratic primary

Secretary of State Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic James R. McLaughlin 810,749 100
Total votes 810,749 100

Republican primary

Secretary of State Republican primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles F. Carpentier (incumbent) 762,305 100
Write-in Others 3 0.00
Total votes 762,308 100

General election

Secretary of State election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Charles F. Carpentier (incumbent) 2,505,255 54.06
Democratic James R. McLaughlin 2,120,339 45.76
Socialist Labor Gregory P. Lyngas 8,234 0.18
Total votes 4,633,828 100

Auditor of Public Accounts

1960 Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts election
← 1956 November 8, 1960 1964 →
Turnout82.79%[3][4]
 
Nominee Michael Howlett Elbert S. Smith
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,296,220 2,246,833
Percentage 50.44% 49.35
Auditor of Public Accounts before election

Elbert S. Smith
Republican

Elected Auditor of Public Accounts

Michael Howlett
Democratic

Incumbent Auditor of Public Accounts Elbert S. Smith, a Republican seeking a second term, lost to Democrat Michael Howlett.

Democratic primary

Auditor of Public Accounts Democratic primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael J. Howlett 792,853 100
Total votes 792,853 100

Republican primary

Auditor of Public Accounts Republican primary[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elbert S. Smith (incumbent) 688,081 100
Democratic Write-in 1 0.00
Total votes 688,082 100

General election

Auditor of Public Accounts election[4]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael J. Howlett 2,296,220 50.44
Republican Elbert S. Smith (incumbent) 2,246,833 49.35
Socialist Labor Stanley L. Prorok 9,789 0.01
Total votes 4,552,842 100

State Senate

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1960. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

State House of Representatives

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1960. Republicans flipped control of the chamber.

Trustees of University of Illinois

1960 Trustees of University of Illinois election
← 1958 November 8, 1960 1962 →

An election was held for three seats as Trustees of University of Illinois.[4] All three Democratic nominees won.[4]

Democratic incumbent Kenney E. Williamson, first appointed in 1940, won reelection to a third full (fourth overall) term.[5] Democratic incumbent Frances Best Watkins won reelection to a third term.[5] They were joined in winning election by fellow Democrat Irving Dillard.[4][5]

Incumbent Democrat George Herrick was not nominated for reelection.[5]

Trustees of the University of Illinois election[4][5]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Irving Dillard 2,356,777 17.41
Democratic Kenney E. Williamson (incumbent) 2,335,857½ 17.26
Democratic Frances Best Watkins (incumbent) 2,310,181½ 17.07
Republican C. E. "Ernie" Lovejoy 2,199,230 16.25
Republican Audrey Reavis Peak 2,172,490 16.05
Republican Thomas O. Matthews 2,130,062 15.74
Socialist Labor Bernard Campbell 10,065 0.07
Socialist Labor Margaret Deneff 9,660 0.07
Socialist Labor Henery Schilling 9,638 0.07
Write-in Others 4 0.00
Total votes 13,533,961 100

Judicial elections

1960 Illinois judicial elections
← 1959 June 6, 1960 1961 →

Judicial elections were held in 1960.

Supreme Court

First Supreme Court Judicial District
First Supreme Court Judicial District[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Byron O. House (incumbent) 59,114 53.69
Democratic Robert Zachariah Hickman 50,240 45.63
Others Others 744 0.68
Total votes 110,098 100
Second Supreme Court Judicial District
Second Supreme Court Judicial District [2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Harry B. Hershey (incumbent) 3,345 94.49
Others Others 195 5.51
Total votes 3,540 100
Third Supreme Court Judicial District
Third Supreme Court Judicial District[2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George W. Bristow (incumbent) 3,558 99.44
Others Others 20 0.56
Total votes 3,578 100

Lower courts

On April 12, a special election was held to fill a vacancy on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.[2]

Ballot measures

Two ballot measures, both of them bond issues, were put before Illinois voters in 1960.

Bond measures needed an affirmative vote equal to majority of the votes cast for whichever chamber of the Illinois General Assembly had the highest cumulative vote count.[4] Since, in 1960, the highest legislative vote was 4,525,191, the vote count needed to be reached was at least 2,262,596 affirmative votes.[4] The vote also needed a majority of votes cast on each measure to be affirmative.

Bond Issue for Education

Voters approved the Bond Issue for Education, which issued bonds to support improvements in education.[6]

Bond Issue for Education[3][4][6]
Option Votes % of highest legislative vote
cast
Yes 2,633,869 58.21
No 1,266,490 27.98
Total votes 3,900,359 86.19
Voter turnout 70.92%

Bond Issue for Mental Health

Voters approved the Bond Issue for Mental Health, which would issue bonds to support improvements mental health and public welfare.[7]

Bond Issue for Mental Health[3][4][7]
Option Votes % of highest legislative vote
cast
Yes 2,967,527 65.58
No 973,075 21.50
Total votes 3,940,602 87.08
Voter turnout 71.65%

Local elections

Local elections were held.

References

  1. ^ a b c d "OFFICIAL VOTE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION, NOVEMBER 8, 1960 JUDICIAL ELECTION 1959-1960 • PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, APRIL 12 1960" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 4, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Illinois Blue Book 1959-1960. Illinois Secretary of State. pp. 871–72. Retrieved March 31, 2020. ((cite book)): |website= ignored (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i "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]
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Illinois Blue Book 1961-1962. Illinois Secretary of State. pp. 960–64. Retrieved March 31, 2020. ((cite book)): |website= ignored (help)
  5. ^ a b c d e "Trustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees" (PDF). University of Illinois. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  6. ^ a b "Illinois Bond Issue for Education (1960)". Ballotpedia.
  7. ^ a b "Illinois Bond Issue for Mental Health (1960)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
Categories