1964 Illinois elections
← 1962 November 3, 1964 1966 →
Turnout86.67%
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
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County elections

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 3, 1964.[1]

Primaries were held on April 14, 1964.[1]

Election information

Turnout

In the primary, turnout was 41.74% with 2,154,941 ballots cast (1,062,320 Democrat and 1,092,621 Republican).[1][2]

In the general election, turnout was 86.67% with 4,796,641 ballots cast.[1][2]

Federal elections

United States President

Main article: 1964 United States presidential election in Illinois

See also: 1964 United States presidential election

Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket of Lyndon B. Johnson and Hubert Humphrey.[1]

United States House

Main article: 1964 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois

See also: 1964 United States House of Representatives elections

All 24 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1964.

Democrats flipped one seat, leaving the Illinois House delegation to consist of 13 Democrats and 11 Republicans.

State elections

Governor

Main article: 1964 Illinois gubernatorial election
1964 Illinois gubernatorial election
← 1960 November 3, 1964 1968 →
Turnout84.15%[1][2]
 
Nominee Otto Kerner Jr. Charles H. Percy
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,418,394 2,239,095
Percentage 51.93% 48.08%
County Results
Kerner:      50–60%      60–70%
Percy:      50-60%      60-70%
Governor before election

Otto Kerner Jr.
Democratic

Elected Governor

Otto Kerner Jr.
Democratic

Incumbent Governor Otto Kerner, Jr., a Democrat, won reelection.

Gubernatorial election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Otto Kerner Jr. (incumbent) 2,418,394 51.93
Republican Charles H. Percy 2,239,095 48.08
Write-in Others 11 0.00
Total votes 4,657,500 100

Lieutenant governor

1964 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election
← 1960 November 3, 1964 1968 →
Turnout82.13%[1][2]
 
Nominee Samuel H. Shapiro John Altorfer
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,462,823 2,082,624
Percentage 54.18% 45.82%
Lieutenant Governor before election

Samuel H. Shapiro
Democratic

Elected Lieutenant Governor

Samuel H. Shapiro
Democratic

Incumbent lieutenant governor Samuel H. Shapiro, a Democrat, won reelection to a second term.

Democratic primary

Lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary[1][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Samuel H. Shapiro (incumbent) 850,941 100
Write-in Others 7 0.00
Total votes 850,948 100

Republican primary

Lieutenant gubernatorial Republican primary[1][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Henry Altorfer 308,498 33.28
Republican Warren L. Wood 200,502 21.63
Republican John A. Graham 126,543 13.65
Republican Edward J. Pree 118,305 12.76
Republican Howard J. Doyle 79,928 8.62
Republican Alan A. Walters 49,048 5.29
Republican Marvin R. Dee 44,197 4.77
Write-in Others 36 0.00
Total votes 927,057 100

General election

Lieutenant gubernatorial election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Samuel H. Shapiro (incumbent) 2,462,823 54.18
Republican John Henry Altorfer 2,082,624 45.82
Write-in Others 3 0.00
Total votes 4,545,450 100

Attorney general

1964 Illinois Attorney General election
← 1960 November 3, 1964 1968 →
Turnout82.06%[1][2]
 
Nominee William G. Clark Elroy C. Sandquist
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,530,971 2,010,553
Percentage 55.73% 44.47%
Attorney General before election

William G. Clark
Democratic

Elected Attorney General

William G. Clark
Democratic

Incumbent attorney general William G. Clark, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term.

Democratic primary

Attorney General Democratic primary[1][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William G. Clark (incumbent) 849,600 100
Write-in Others 8 0.00
Total votes 849,608 100

Republican primary

Attorney General Republican primary[1][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elroy C. Sandquist 271,991 29.99
Republican Jack I. Sperling 253,362 27.94
Republican Robert R. Canfield 213,683 23.56
Republican William D. Stiehl 127,732 14.08
Republican William F. Lavelle 40,152 4.43
Write-in Others 8 0.00
Total votes 906,928 100

General election

Attorney General election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William G. Clark (incumbent) 2,530,971 55.73
Republican Elroy C. Sandquist 2,010,553 44.47
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 4,541,525 100

Secretary of State

1964 Illinois Secretary of State election
← 1960 November 3, 1964 1968 →
Turnout82.14%[1][2]
 
Nominee Paul Powell Elmer J. Hoffman
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,517,226 2,028,670
Percentage 55.37% 44.63%
County results
Powell:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Hoffman:      50–60%      60–70%
Secretary of State before election

William H. Chamberlain
Democratic

Elected Secretary of State

Paul Powell
Democratic

The incumbent Secretary of State was William H. Chamberlain, a Democrat appointed in 1964. He did not seek reelection. Democrat Paul Powell was elected to succeed him in office.

Democratic primary

Secretary of State Democratic primary[1][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Paul T. Powell 860,902 100
Write-in Others 28 0.00
Total votes 860,930 100

Republican primary

Secretary of State Republican primary[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Elmer J. Hoffman 414,214 44.01
Republican John P. Meyer 230,159 24.45
Republican Terrel E. Clarke 146,014 15.51
Republican Walter J. Haas 56,640 6.02
Republican Harley D. Jones 55,724 5.92
Republican Walter E. Pacanowski 38,487 4.09
Write-in Others 36 0.00
Total votes 941,274 100

General election

Secretary of State election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Paul T. Powell 2,517,226 55.37
Republican Elmer J. Hoffman 2,028,670 44.63
Write-in Others 16 0.00
Total votes 4,545,912 100

Auditor of Public Accounts

1964 Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts election
← 1960 November 3, 1964 1968 →
Turnout81.88%[1]
 
Nominee Michael Howlett John Kirby
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,513,831 2,017,951
Percentage 55.47% 44.53
Auditor of Public Accounts before election

Michael Howlett
Democratic

Elected Auditor of Public Accounts

Michael Howlett
Democratic

Incumbent Auditor of Public Accounts Michael Howlett, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term, defeating Republican challenger John Kirby.

Democratic primary

Howlett won the Democratic primary unopposed.

Auditor of Public Accounts Democratic primary[1][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael J. Howlett (incumbent) 843,204 100
Write-in Others 5 0.00
Total votes 843,209 100

Republican primary

John Kirby won the Republican primary.

Candidates
Results
Auditor of Public Accounts Republican primary[1][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican John Kirby 245,015 27.33
Republican John William Chapman 190,271 21.22
Republican Gordon E. Kerr 129,363 14.43
Republican Walter E. McCarron 94,548 10.55
Republican Maurice W Coburn 80,877 9.02
Republican James P. Hennessy 74,322 8.29
Republican Sherwin Willens 64,528 7.20
Republican Louis "Lou" Haenle 17,568 1.96
Write-in Others 30 0.00
Total votes 896,522 100

General election

Auditor of Public Accounts election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Michael J. Howlett (incumbent) 2,513,831 55.47
Republican John Kirby 2,017,951 44.53
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 4,531,783 100

State Senate

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1964. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

State House of Representatives

Main article: 1964 Illinois House of Representatives election

All 177 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1964. Due to the state's failure to redistrict, the election was held at-large, with all candidates listed on one ballot that contained 236 names and spread 33 inches long.[6] Both the Democrats and the Republicans nominated 118 candidates.[7] Voters could vote for up to 177 candidates, and a straight-ticket option was also available.[6]

Every Democratic candidate won, flipping the chamber and giving Democrats a super-majority in the state House. Democrats won a total of 118 seats to Republican's 59 seats.[7]

Trustees of University of Illinois

1964 Trustees of University of Illinois election
← 1962 November 3, 1964 1966 →

An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois.

The election saw the reelection of first term Democratic incumbent Howard Clement, second-term Democratic incumbent Harold Pogue, as well as fellow Democratic incumbent Theodore A. Jones (who had been appointed to fill a vacancy in 1963).[1][8]

Trustees of the University of Illinois election[1][8]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Howard W. Clement (incumbent) 2,514,840 18.60
Democratic Theodore A. Jones (incumbent) 2,484,508 18.38
Democratic Harold A. Pogue (incumbent) 2,440,845 18.05
Republican Park Livingston 2,075,034 15.35
Republican C. Ernest Lovejoy 2,013,525 14.89
Republican James A. Weatherly 1,992,575 14.76
Write-in Others 2 0.00
Total votes 13,521,329 100

Ballot measures

Two ballot measures were put before voters in 1966, both of them legislatively referred constitutional amendments.

In order to be placed on the ballot, proposed legislatively referred constitutional amendments needed to be approved by two-thirds of each house of the Illinois General Assembly.[9] In order to be approved, they required approval of either two-thirds of those voting on the amendment itself or a majority of all ballots cast in the general elections.[1]

Annual Legislative Sessions Amendment

The Annual Legislative Sessions Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, was put to a vote. It would have amended Section 9 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution. It failed to meet either threshold for passage.[1]

Annual Legislative Sessions Amendment[1][2]
Option Votes % of votes
on referendum 		% of all ballots
cast
Yes 2,290,263 63.10 47.75
No 1,339,540 36.90 27.93
Total votes 3,629,803 100 75.67
Voter turnout 65.58%

Continuity of Governmental Operations in Periods of Emergency Amendment

The Continuity of Governmental Operations in Periods of Emergency Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, was put to a vote. It would have amended Section 35 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution. It failed to meet either threshold for passage.[1]

Continuity of Governmental Operations in Periods of Emergency Amendment[1][2]
Option Votes % of votes
on referendum 		% of all ballots
cast
Yes 1,808,491 50.62 37.70
No 1,275,871 35.71 26.60
Total votes 3,572,966 100 74.49
Voter turnout 64.56%

Local elections

Local elections were held.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab "OFFICIAL VOTE of the STATE OF ILLINOIS Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION, NOVEMBER 3, 1964 JUDICIAL ELECTION, 1963–1964 • PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, APRIL, 14, 1964" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 1, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h "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]
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Illinois Blue Book 1963-1964. Illinois Secretary of State. pp. 901–902. Retrieved March 28, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  4. ^ "Maurice W. Coburn". Belvidere Daily Republican. April 13, 1964.
  5. ^ "WALTER MCCARRON, 85, FORMER COUNTY CORONER". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. September 27, 1985. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Wehrwein, Austin (October 29, 1964). "BALLOT IN ILLINOIS BIG AS BATH TOWEL". New York Times. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Hardy, Rick Pearson and Thomas (December 17, 1991). "RULING REKINDLES VISIONS OF '64 'BEDSHEET' BALLOT". chicagotribune.com. Retrieved March 8, 2021.
  8. ^ a b "Trustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees" (PDF). University of Illinois. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  9. ^ Illinois Constitution of 1870 ARTICLE XIV Section 2
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