1998 Illinois elections

← 1996 November 3, 1998 2000 →
Turnout	52.43%

Elections in Illinois
Federal government U.S. Presidential elections 1820 1824 1828 1832 1836 1840 1844 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1996 Dem 2000 Dem 2004 Dem 2008 Dem Rep 2012 Dem Rep 2016 Dem Rep 2020 Dem Rep 2024 Dem Rep U.S. Senate elections 1818 1819 1823 1824 1824 sp 1825 1830 sp 1831 1835 1837 1843 1846 1849 1849 sp 1853 1859 1861 1863 sp 1867 1879 1882 1885 1885 sp 1887 sp 1888 1890 1894 1896 1897 1901 1903 1907 1909 1913 1913 sp 1914 1918 1920 1924 1926 1928 sp 1930 1932 1936 1938 1940 sp 1942 1944 1948 1950 1954 1956 1960 1962 1966 1968 1970 sp 1972 1974 1978 1980 1984 1986 1990 1992 1996 1998 2002 2004 2008 2010 2010 sp 2014 2016 2020 2022 2026 U.S. House elections 1818 1819 1820 1822 1824 1826 1828 1831 1832 1834 1836 1838 1840 1842 1844 1846 1848 1850 1852 1854 1856 1858 1859 6th sp 1860 1861 6th sp 1862 1864 1866 1868 1870 1871 AL sp 1872 1874 1876 1878 1880 1882 1884 1886 1888 1890 1892 1894 1895 10th sp 18th sp 1896 1898 1900 1902 1904 1906 1908 1910 1912 1914 1916 1918 4th sp 1920 1922 AL sp 1923 2nd sp 4th sp 1924 1926 1928 1930 1932 1934 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 19th sp 1946 1948 1950 1952 1953 7th sp 1954 1956 1957 7th sp 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1969 13th sp 1970 6th sp 1972 15th sp 1973 7th sp 1974 1975 5th sp 1976 1978 1980 10th sp 1982 1983 1st sp 1984 1985 14th sp 1986 1988 21st sp 1990 1991 15th sp 1992 1994 1995 2nd sp 1996 1998 2000 1st 2002 2004 2006 2008 14th sp 2009 5th sp 2010 17th 2012 2013 2nd sp 2014 2015 18th sp 2016 2018 2020 2022 1st 2024
State government General elections 1936 1938 1940 1942 1944 1946 1948 1950 1952 1954 1956 1958 1960 1962 1964 1966 1968 1969 1970 1972 1974 1976 1978 1980 1982 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Gubernatorial elections 1818 1822 1826 1830 1834 1838 1842 1846 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1978 1982 1986 1990 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022 Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections 1818 1822 1826 1830 1834 1838 1842 1846 1848 1852 1856 1860 1864 1868 1872 1876 1880 1884 1888 1892 1896 1900 1904 1908 1912 1916 1920 1924 1928 1932 1936 1940 1944 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 Attorney General elections 2018 2022 Secretary of State elections 2022 Comptroller elections 2016 Senate elections 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 House of Representatives elections 1964 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024 Judicial elections 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
Ballot measures and referendums State capitol referendum (1834) Cutback Amendment (1980) Crime Victim Rights Amendment (1992) Illinois Governor Recall Amendment (2010) Public Pension Amendment (2012) Marsy's Law (2014) Right to Vote Amendment (2014) Transportation Taxes and Fees Lockbox Amendment (2016) Fair Tax (2020) Right to Collective Bargaining Amendment (2022)
Chicago General elections 2019 2023 Mayoral elections 1837 1838 1839 1840 1841 1842 1843 1844 1845 1846 1847 1848 1849 1850 1851 1852 1853 1854 1855 1856 1857 1858 1859 1860 1861 1862 1863 1865 1867 1869 1871 1873 1876 1877 1879 1881 1883 1885 1887 1889 1891 1893 1893 sp 1895 1897 1899 1901 1903 1905 1907 1911 1915 1919 1923 1927 1931 1935 1939 1943 1947 1951 1955 1959 1963 1967 1971 1975 1977 sp 1979 1983 1987 1989 sp 1991 1995 1999 2003 2007 2011 2015 2019 2023 Aldermanic elections 1923 1925 1927 1929 2011 2015 2019 2023 Chicago Board of Education elections 2024 2026
Cicero Municipal elections 1924
Cook County County elections 1946 1984 1986 1988 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2002 2004 2006 2008 2010 2012 2014 2016 2018 2020 2022 2024
v t e

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 3, 1998. Primary elections were held on March 17, 1998.^[1]

These elections saw Democrats make gains. The Democratic Party went from holding no statewide offices, to holding two.

Election information

1998 was a midterm election year in the United States.

Turnout

Primary election

For the primary election, turnout was 27.04%, with 1,824,806 votes cast.^[2]

Turnout by county^[2]

General election

For the general election, turnout was 52.43%, with 3,541,379 votes cast.^[2]

Turnout by county^[2]

Federal elections

United States Senate

Incumbent Democratic United States Senator Carol Moseley Braun lost reelection, being unseated by Republican Peter Fitzgerald.

United States House

All 20 of Illinois' seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1998.

No seats switched parties, leaving the composition of Illinois' House delegation 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

State elections

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

1998 Illinois gubernatorial election

← 1994 November 3, 1998 2002 →
Turnout	49.72%
Nominee George Ryan Glenn Poshard Party Republican Democratic Running mate Corinne Wood Mary Lou Kearns Popular vote 1,714,094 1,594,191 Percentage 51.0% 47.8%
County results Ryan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Poshard:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90%
Governor before election Jim Edgar Republican Elected Governor George Ryan Republican

Incumbent Governor Jim Edgar, a Republican, did not seek a third term. Republican George Ryan was elected to succeed him.

Attorney General

1998 Illinois Attorney General election

← 1994 November 3, 1998 2002 →
Turnout	49.25%
Nominee Jim Ryan Miriam Santos Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,026,781 1,242,979 Percentage 60.92% 37.36%
County results Ryan:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%      80–90% Santos:      50–60%
Attorney General before election Jim Ryan Republican Elected Attorney General Jim Ryan Republican

Incumbent Attorney General Jim Ryan, a Republican, was reelected to a second term. As of 2022^[update] this is the last time a Republican was elected Illinois Attorney General.

Democratic primary

Republican primary

Reform primary

General election

Secretary of State

1998 Illinois Secretary of State election

← 1994 November 3, 1998 2002 →
Turnout	50.04%
Nominee Jesse White Al Salvi Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,874,626 1,437,420 Percentage 55.46% 42.53%
County results White:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Salvi:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Secretary of State before election George Ryan Republican Elected Secretary of State Jesse White Democratic

Incumbent Secretary of State George Ryan, a Republican, did not seek reelection to a third term in office, instead opting to run for governor. Democrat Jesse White was elected to succeed him in office.

Democratic primary

Republican primary

Reform primary

General election

Comptroller

1998 Illinois State Comptroller election

← 1994 November 3, 1998 2002 →
Turnout	47.85%
Nominee Daniel Hynes Chris Lauzen Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 1,895,273 1,280,860 Percentage 58.63% 39.63%
County results Hynes:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Lauzen:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
State Comptroller before election Loleta Didrickson Republican Elected State Comptroller Daniel Hynes Democratic

Incumbent Comptroller Loleta Didrickson, a Republican, did not seek reelection to a second term, instead opting to (ultimately unsuccessfully) run for the Republican nomination for United States Senate. Democrat Daniel Hynes was elected to succeed her in office.

Democratic primary

Republican primary

Reform primary

General election

Treasurer

1998 Illinois State Treasurer election

← 1994 November 3, 1998 2002 →
Turnout	47.71%
Nominee Judy Baar Topinka Daniel J. McLaughlin Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,610,498 1,548,219 Percentage 49.97% 48.04%
County results Topinka:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% McLaughlin:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Treasurer before election Judy Baar Topinka Republican Elected Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka Republican

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

Democratic primary

Orland Park mayor Daniel J. McLaughlin defeated Calumet City mayor Jerry Genova.^[3][4][5]

Republican primary

Reform primary

General election

State Senate

Some of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1998. Republicans retained control of the chamber.^[6]

State House of Representatives

All of the seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1998. Democrats retained control of the chamber.^[6]

Judicial elections

Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 1998.

Ballot measure

Illinois voters voted on a single ballot measure in 1998.^[7] In order to be approved, the measures required either 60% support among those specifically voting on the amendment or 50% support among all ballots cast in the elections.^[7]

Illinois Courts Commission Amendment

Voters approved the Illinois Courts Commission Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which amended Article VI, Section 15 of the Constitution of Illinois to make modifications to the courts commission.^[7][8]

Local elections

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