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1994 Illinois elections

(Redirected from 1994 Illinois ballot measures)

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 8, 1994. Primaries were held on March 15, 1994.[1]

1994 Illinois elections
← 1992 November 8, 1994 1996 →
Turnout52.61%

These elections saw the Republican Party make significant gains, and conversely saw the Democratic Party see significant losses. The Republican Party captured the State House and retained control of the State Senate and, winning them a trifecta of state government control.[2] The Republican Party additionally won all statewide executive offices, retaining the governorship and office of lieutenant governor in their combined election, retaining the office of Secretary of State, while also flipping the offices of Attorney General, Comptroller, and Treasurer. The Republican Party also gained two more of Illinois' U.S. congressional seats.

The result of the election marked the first time since the 1950s that all executive offices and control of the Illinois General Assembly were held by a single party (the previous time had also seen the Republican Party reach this feat).

Election information

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1994 was a midterm election year in the United States. The 1994 midterm elections saw a strong national showing by the Republican Party, which was dubbed the Republican Revolution.

Turnout

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For the primaries, turnout was 31.91%, with 1,963,606 ballots cast (with 1,186,888 Democratic ballots, 729,372 Republican ballots, 674 Harold Washington, and 46,619 nonpartisan ballots cast).[1]

For the general election, turnout was 52.61%, with 3,219,122 ballots cast.[3]

Straight-ticket voting

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Illinois had a straight-ticket voting option in 1994.[3]

Party Number of
straight-ticket
votes[3]
Democratic 407,858
Republican 587,670
Libertarian 2,343
United Independents Party 654

Federal elections

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United States House

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Main article: 1994 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois
See also: 1994 United States House of Representatives elections

All Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1994.

The Republican Party flipped two seats from the Democratic Party. Among the two Democrats unseated by Republicans was Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, who had been in congress since 1959.[4] This left the party composition of Illinois' House delegation 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

State elections

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Governor and Lieutenant Governor

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Main article: 1994 Illinois gubernatorial election
1994 Illinois gubernatorial election
 
← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout50.77%
     
Nominee Jim Edgar Dawn Clark Netsch
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Bob Kustra Penny Severns
Popular vote 1,984,318 1,069,850
Percentage 63.9% 34.4%
 
County results
Edgar:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%
Netsch:      40–50%
Governor before election

Jim Edgar
Republican

Elected Governor

Jim Edgar
Republican

Incumbent Governor Jim Edgar, a Republican, won reelection in the greatest landslide in Illinois history, excepting the election of 1818. Edgar carried 101 of the state's 102 counties over the Democratic nominee, State Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch, with Netsch only winning Gallatin County. To date, this is the most recent statewide election in which Cook County voted for the Republican candidate.

Gubernatorial election[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Edgar (incumbent) / Bob Kustra (incumbent) 1,984,318 63.9
Democratic Dawn Clark Netsch / Penny Severns 1,069,850 34.4
Libertarian David L. Kelley 52,388 1.69
Write-in Other 10 0.0
Total votes 3,106,556 100

Attorney General

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1994 Illinois Attorney General election
 
← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout50.34%[3]
 
Nominee Jim Ryan Al Hofeld
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,651,976 1,371,295
Percentage 53.63% 44.52%
 
County results
Ryan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Hofeld:      40–50%      50–60%
Attorney General before election

Roland Burris
Democratic

Elected Attorney General

Jim Ryan
Republican

Incumbent Attorney General Roland Burris, a Democrat, did not run for a second term, instead opting (ultimately unsuccessfully) to seek the Democratic nomination for governor. Republican Jim Ryan was elected to succeed him in office.

Democratic primary

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Attorney and 1992 U.S. Senate candidate Al Hofeld won the Democratic primary, defeating former Chicago alderman Martin J. Oberman.[1][5]

Attorney General Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Al Hofeld 573,033 57.70
Democratic Martin J. Oberman 420,019 42.30
Total votes 993,052 100

Republican primary

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DuPage County state's attorney Jim Ryan won the Republican primary, defeating Metra Chairman Jeffrey Ladd and attorney Themis Anagost.[5][6] Ryan had been the unsuccessful Republican nominee for attorney general in 1990.[6]

Attorney General Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Ryan 471,068 71.64
Republican Jeff Ladd 176,002 26.77
Republican Themis Anagost 10,482 1.59
Total votes 657,552 100

General election

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Attorney General election[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Jim Ryan 1,651,976 53.63
Democratic Albert F. Hofeld 1,371,295 44.52
Libertarian Natalie Loder Clark 57,104 1.85
Total votes 3,080,375 100

Secretary of State

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1994 Illinois Secretary of State election
 
← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout50.48%[3]
     
Nominee George Ryan Pat Quinn
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,868,144 1,182,629
Percentage 60.48% 38.29%
 
County results
Ryan:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Quinn:      40–50%      50–60%
Secretary of State before election

George Ryan
Republican

Elected Secretary of State

George Ryan
Republican

Incumbent Secretary of State George Ryan was reelected to a second term. As of 2022, this was the last time a Republican was elected Illinois Secretary of State.[original research?]

Democratic primary

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Treasurer of Illinois Pat Quinn won the Democratic primary, defeating Illinois State Senator Denny Jacobs and Larouche movement member Rose-Marie Love.[7][8]

Originally, Kane County Coroner Mary Lou Kearns had also declared herself a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Secretary of State, but she subsequently decided to instead run for Comptroller.[9]

Secretary of State Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Pat Quinn 641,787 70.54
Democratic Denny Jacobs 141,058 15.51
Democratic Rose-Marie Love 126,939 13.95
Total votes 909,784 100

Republican primary

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Incumbent George Ryan ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Secretary of State Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George H. Ryan (incumbent) 621,196 100
Total votes 621,196 100

General election

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Secretary of State election[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George H. Ryan (incumbent) 1,868,144 60.48
Democratic Pat Quinn 1,182,629 38.29
Libertarian Joseph Schreiner 38,074 1.23
Total votes 3,088,847 100

Comptroller

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1994 Illinois State Comptroller election
 
← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout47.99%[3]
     
Nominee Loleta Didrickson Earlean Collins
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,615,122 1,208,128
Percentage 55.00% 41.14%
 
County results
Didrickson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Collins:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
State Comptroller before election

Dawn Clark Netsch
Democratic

Elected State Comptroller

Loleta Didrickson
Republican

Incumbent Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch, a Democrat, did not seek reelection to a second term, instead opting to run for governor. Republican Loleta Didrickson was elected to succeed her in office.

Democratic primary

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Illinois State Senator Earlean Collins defeated Kane County Coroner/Kane County Democratic Party Chairwoman Mary Lou Kearns, Lyons Township Assessor Edward J. Schumann, and Larouche movement member Mark Bender.[7][9][10]

Comptroller Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Earlean Collins 320,718 36.15
Democratic Mary Lou Kearns 311,088 35.06
Democratic Edward J. Schumann 161,733 18.23
Democratic Mark P. Bender 93,676 10.56
Total votes 887,215 100

Republican primary

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Comptroller Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Loleta A. Didrickson 537,642 100
Total votes 537,642 100

General election

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Comptroller election[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Loleta A. Didrickson 1,615,122 55.00
Democratic Earlean Collins 1,208,128 41.14
Libertarian Michael J. Ginsberg 113,071 3.85
Total votes 2,936,321 100

Treasurer

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1994 Illinois State Treasurer election
 
← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout48.78%[3]
     
Nominee Judy Baar Topinka Nancy Drew Sheehan
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,504,335 1,427,317
Percentage 50.40% 47.82%
 
County results
Topinka:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%
Sheehan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Treasurer before election

Pat Quinn
Democratic

Elected Treasurer

Judy Baar Topinka
Republican

Incumbent Treasurer Pat Quinn, a Democrat, did not run for a second term, instead opting to run for Secretary of State. Republican Judy Baar Topinka was elected to succeed him in office.

Democratic primary

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Metropolitan Water Reclamation District board member Nancy Drew Sheehan defeated Thomas J. Beaudette in the Democratic primary.[1][11]

Treasurer Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Nancy Drew Sheehan 711,865 84.07
Democratic Thomas J. Beaudette 134,873 15.93
Total votes 846,738 100

Republican primary

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Illinois State Senator Judy Baar Topinka won the Republican primary, running unopposed.

Treasurer Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Judy Baar Topinka 543,235 100
Total votes 543,235 100

General election

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Treasurer election[3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Judy Baar Topinka 1,504,335 50.40
Democratic Nancy Drew Sheehan 1,427,317 47.82
Libertarian Kati L. Kroenlein 53,108 1.78
Total votes 2,984,760 100

State Senate

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Some of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1994. Republicans retained control of the Illinois Senate, which they had captured a majority in during the preceding 1992 elections.[2]

State House of Representatives

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All of the seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1994. Republicans flipped control of the Illinois House of Representatives.[2]

Trustees of the University of Illinois

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1994 Trustees of the University of Illinois election
← 1992 November 8, 1994

An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of the University of Illinois system for six-year terms.

This was the last election for Trustees of University of Illinois, as this would subsequently become an appointed office.[12]

The election saw the reelection of incumbent Republican Judith Reese to a second term, as well as the election of new trustees Republican Bill Engelbrecht and Democrat Martha R. O'Malley.[12]

First-term incumbent Democrat Ken Boyle lost reelection.[3][12] First-term incumbent Republican Donald W. Grabowski was not nominated for reelection.[3][12]

Trustees of the University of Illinois election[3][12]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Judith Reese (incumbent) 1,432,013 17.55
Republican William D. "Bill" Engelbrecht 1,330,511 16.31
Democratic Martha R. O'Malley 1,312,075 16.08
Democratic Ken Boyle (incumbent) 1,305,334 16.00
Republican Brian C. Silverman 1,240,397 15.20
Democratic Ross Harano 1,088,218 13.34
Libertarian Robin J. Miller 196,068 2.40
Libertarian Joni Garcia Rubio 148,395 1.82
Libertarian Kirby R. Cundiff 105,994 1.30
Write-in Robin Kessinger 4 0.00
Total votes 8,159,009 100

Judicial elections

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Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 1994.[3]

Ballot measures

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Illinois voters voted on a two ballot measures in 1994,[13] both of them legislatively referred constitutional amendment 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.[13]

Illinois Criminal Defendants' Right to Meet Witnesses Amendment

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Voters approved the Illinois Criminal Defendants' Right to Meet Witnesses Amendment (also known as "Amendment 1"), a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which amended Article I, Section 8 of the Constitution of Illinois, which allowed criminal defendants be given the right to be confronted by witnesses.[13][14]

Illinois Criminal Defendants' Right to Meet Witnesses Amendment[13]
Option Votes % of votes
on measure 		% of all ballots
cast
Yes 1,525,525 62.73 47.39
No 906,383 37.27 28.16
Total votes 2,431,908 100 75.55
Voter turnout 39.74%

Illinois Legislative Session Length Amendment

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Voters approved Illinois Legislative Session Length (also known as "Amendment 2"), a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which amended Article IV, Section 10 of the Constitution of Illinois to change the legislative adjournment date from June 20 to May 3.[13][15][16]

Illinois Legislative Session Length Amendment[13]
Option Votes % of votes
on measure 		% of all ballots
cast
Yes 1,476,615 68.87 45.87
No 667,585 31.14 20.74
Total votes 2,144,200 100 66.61
Voter turnout 35.04%

Local elections

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

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "State of Illinois official vote cast at the primary election held on ..." Illinois State Board of Elections. 1966. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  2. ^ a b c "Party control of Illinois state government". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "State of Illinois official vote cast at the general election ." Illinois State Board of Elections. 1978. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  4. ^ Terry, Don (November 9, 1994). "THE 1994 ELECTIONS: THE HOUSE ILLINOIS; Rostenkowski, The Old Lion, Is Defeated By a Cub". The New York Times. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  5. ^ a b "LAWYER JEFF LADD SEEKS ILLINOIS ATTORNEY GENERAL POST". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. October 26, 1993. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  6. ^ a b Presecky, William (March 17, 1994). "PRIMARY-TESTED RYAN AWAITS HOFELD". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  7. ^ a b Hardy, Thomas; Pearson, Rick. "DEMOCRATS HAVE LEARNED LESSON ABOUT LAROUCHE SLATE". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  8. ^ Pearson, Rick (March 8, 1994). "MAVERICKS QUINN, JACOBS VIE FOR SECRETARY OF STATE". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  9. ^ a b Kuczka, Susan (March 1, 1994). "PRIMARY SPLITTING UP TEAM". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  10. ^ Young, Linda (October 9, 1994). "KEARNS PROVES PIVOTAL". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  11. ^ Kuczka, Susan (October 20, 1994). "TREASURER'S RACE SURE TO BRING CHANGE TO OFFICE-FIRST WOMAN TO HOLD POST". chicagotribune.com. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 7, 2020.
  12. ^ a b c d e "Trustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees" (PDF). University of Illinois. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d e f "Illinois Constitution - Amendments Proposed". www.ilga.gov. Illinois General Assembly. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  14. ^ "Illinois Criminal Defendants' Right to Meet Witnesses". Ballotpedia. Retrieved March 29, 2020.
  15. ^ "Illinois Legislative Session Length, Amendment 2 (1994)". Ballotpedia.
  16. ^ "Illinois 1994 ballot measures". Ballotpedia.
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