The 1912 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1912. Incumbent second-term Republican governor Charles S. Deneen was defeated by the Democratic nominee, former mayor of Chicago Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne.
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 County results Dunne: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% Deneen: 30–40% 40–50% 60–70% Funk: 30–40% 40–50% 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Dunne was the first Democratic Governor of Illinois elected since 1892 and only the second since 1852. As of 2024 this is the first and only time that a former mayor of Chicago (Illinois’ largest city) was elected governor of Illinois.
Primary elections
editPrimary elections were held on April 9, 1912.
Democratic primary
editCandidates
edit- Samuel Alschuler, former State Representative[1][2][a]
- Ben F. Caldwell, former U.S. Representative for the 21st district
- George E. Dickson
- Edward F. Dunne, former mayor of Chicago
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Edward F. Dunne | 131,212 | 43.83 | |
| Democratic | Samuel Alschuler | 87,127 | 29.11 | |
| Democratic | Ben F. Caldwell | 71,972 | 24.04 | |
| Democratic | George E. Dickson | 9,034 | 3.02 | |
| Total votes | 299,345 | 100.00 | ||
Republican primary
editCandidates
edit- John J. Brown, former member of the Illinois House of Representatives[7]
- Charles S. Deneen, incumbent Governor
- Charles F. Hurburgh, State Senator[8]
- Walter C. Jones, State Senator[9][10]
- J. McCan Davis, Clerk of the Supreme Court of Illinois[11]
- Len Small, former treasurer
- John E. W. Wayman, Cook County State's attorney
- Richard Yates Jr., former governor
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Charles S. Deneen (incumbent) | 152,997 | 34.80 | |
| Republican | Len Small | 88,829 | 20.20 | |
| Republican | John E. W. Wayman | 61,178 | 13.92 | |
| Republican | Richard Yates Jr. | 45,325 | 10.31 | |
| Republican | John J. Brown | 31,995 | 7.28 | |
| Republican | Charles F. Hurburgh | 29,992 | 6.82 | |
| Republican | Walter C. Jones | 22,491 | 5.12 | |
| Republican | J. McCan Davis | 6,855 | 1.56 | |
| Total votes | 439,662 | 100.00 | ||
Prohibition primary
editCandidates
edit- Edwin R. Worrell, Presbyterian minister[14]
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prohibition | Edwin R. Worrell | 3,568 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 3,568 | 100.00 | ||
Socialist primary
editCandidates
edit- John C. Kennedy, alderman for the 27th ward
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socialist | John C. Kennedy | 8,333 | 100.00 | |
| Total votes | 8,333 | 100.00 | ||
General election
editCandidates
edit- Charles S. Deneen, Republican
- Edward F. Dunne, Democratic
- John M. Francis, Socialist Labor, perennial candidate
- Frank H. Funk, Progressives for S.J., former State Senator
- John C. Kennedy, Socialist
- Edwin R. Worrell, Prohibition
Results
edit| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Edward F. Dunne | 443,120 | 38.11% | ||
| Republican | Charles S. Deneen (incumbent) | 318,469 | 27.39% | ||
| Progressive | Frank H. Funk | 303,401 | 26.09% | ||
| Socialist | John C. Kennedy | 78,679 | 6.77% | ||
| Prohibition | Edwin R. Worrell | 15,231 | 1.31% | ||
| Socialist Labor | John M. Francis | 3,980 | 0.34% | ||
| Majority | 124,651 | 10.72% | |||
| Turnout | 1,163,480 | 100.00% | |||
| Democratic gain from Republican | Swing | ||||
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Some secondary sources (OurCampaigns, US Election Atlas) state that this candidate was Benjamin P. Alschuler, brother of Samuel. Primary sources from the 1910s are clear this was not the case.
References
edit- ^ Solomon, Rayman L. (1981). History of the Seventh Circuit 1891–1941. The Bicentennial Committee of the Judicial Conference of the United States. p. 94.
- ^ Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the First Session of the Seventy-Fourth Congress. Vol. 79. Washington D.C.: United States Government Printing Office. 1935. p. 7088.
- ^ "IL Governor, 1912 – D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "1912 Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election Results – Illinois". US Election Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ a b c d Illinois Blue Book & 1913-14, p. 460.
- ^ a b c Illinois Primary Vote 1912, pp. 14–15.
- ^ "John J. Brown Speaks in Twins". Urbana Daily Courier. March 19, 1912. p. 1. Retrieved December 26, 2023 – via NewspaperArchive by Storied.
- ^ Perry, Albert J. (1912). History of Knox County, Illinois. Vol. II. Chicago, Illinois: The S. J. Clare Publishing Company. p. 265.
- ^ Illinois Blue Book & 1913-14, p. 248.
- ^ "Jones would limit power of courts". The Inter Ocean. Chicago, Illinois. February 26, 1913. p. 12. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "John McCan Davis: Biographical Sketch Prepared at the Request of Historical Society by Clinton L. Conkling and H. W. Clendenin". Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. 9 (2). University of Illinois Press on behalf of the Illinois State Historical Society: 232–233. July 1916. JSTOR 40194391.
- ^ "IL Governor, 1912 – R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ Illinois Primary Vote 1912, pp. 12–13.
- ^ "Illinois Happenings". The Ashton Gazette. Vol. 17, no. 50. Ashton, Illinois. February 8, 1912. p. 9. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "IL Governor, 1912 – PRB Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "IL Governor, 1912 – S Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "IL Governor, 1912". Our Campaigns. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ "1912 Gubernatorial General Election Results – Illinois". US Election Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
- ^ Illinois Blue Book & 1913-14, p. 565.
- ^ Illinois Official Vote 1912, pp. 8–9.
Bibliography
edit- Compiled by Harry Woods, Secretary of State (1914). Blue Book of the State of Illinois, 1913–14. Danville, Illinois: Illinois Printing Company.
- Compiled by Cornelius J. Doyle, Secretary of State (1912). Official vote of the State of Illinois cast at the Primary Election held on April 9, 1912. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Journal Co., State Printers.
- Compiled by Cornelius J. Doyle, Secretary of State (1913). Official vote of the State of Illinois cast at the General Election, November 5, 1912; Judicial Election, June 3, 1912; Special Elections, 1911 and 1912. Springfield, Illinois: Illinois State Journal Co., State Printers.