1986 Illinois elections

none February 2026 September 2023 1986 Illinois elections Illinois presidential no 1984 Illinois elections 1984 1988 Illinois elections 1988 November 4, 1986 55.34% Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 4, 1986. Primaries were held March 18, 1986. 3 Election information 1986 was a midterm election year in the United States. Creation of the Illinois Solidarity Party After LaRouche movement disciples won the Democratic primaries for Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of State, Adlai Stevenson III created the Solidarity Party primarily to run Democratic candidates against them in the general election. He himself dropped off of the Democratic ticket for Governor, which he had won the primary for, and ran instead as the Solidarity Party candidate for Governor. The two Lyndon LaRouche-affiliated candidates, Mark J. Fairchild for Lieutenant Governor and Janice Hart for Secretary of State, had not seen their affiliations with LaRouche well-publicized until after they won their upset primary defeats over Stevenson-backed candidates George Sangmeister and Aurelia Pucinski. Malcolm Andrew H. 2 CONSERVATIVE EXTREMISTS UPSET DEMOCRATS IN THE ILLINOIS PRIMARY New York Times A18 20 March 1986 https://www.nytimes.com/1986/03/20/us/2-conservative-extremists-upset-democrats-in-the-illinois-primary.html 9 November 2016 Illinois law required any unestablished party to run a full slate in order to obtain ballot access,Right to Run: Ballot access laws across the country exclude third party candidates https://thepolitic.org/right-to-run-ballot-access-laws-across-the-country-exclude-third-party-candidates/ The Politic 10 April 2020 19 March 2020 thus, Stevenson ran candidates in all races. Turnout Turnout in the primary was 26.23%, with 1,602,156 ballots cast. 1,014,908 Democratic and 570,661 Republican primary ballots were cast.OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH 18, 1986 https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1986/1986%20PE.PDF www.elections.il.gov Illinois Secretary of State 10 April 2020 Turnout in the general election was 55.34%, with 3,332,450 ballots cast.OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 4, 1986 https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1986/1986%20GE.PDF https://web.archive.org/web/20220602085116/https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1986/1986%20GE.PDF dead June 2, 2022 www.elections.il.gov Illinois State Board of Elections 10 April 2020 Straight-ticket voting Illinois had a straight-ticket voting option in 1986. Party Number ofstraight-ticketvotes Democratic107,788 Republican465,469 Allin Walker17 Illinois Solidarity1,901 Libertarian1,239 Quality Congressional Representation421 Socialist Workers358 Federal elections United States Senate 1986 United States Senate election in Illinois 1986 United States Senate elections Incumbent Democratic Senator Alan Dixon was reelected. United States House 1986 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois 1986 United States House of Representatives elections All Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1986. State elections Governor and Lieutenant Governor 1986 Illinois gubernatorial election 1986 Illinois gubernatorial election Illinois presidential no 1982 Illinois gubernatorial election 1982 1990 Illinois gubernatorial election 1990 November 4, 1986 File:Governor James Thompson 2 (3x4).jpg 150x150px James R. Thompson George Ryan Republican Party (United States) 1,655,849 52.7% File:Adlai III (3x4 2).jpg Adlai Stevenson III Solidarity Party (Illinois) Mike Howlett 1,256,626 40.0% 3x4.svg No candidate Democratic Party (United States) Mark Fairchild 208,830 6.6% 1986 Illinois gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 170px County Results: Thompson: #ffb2b2 40-50% #e27f7f 50-60% #d75d5d 60-70% #d72f30 70-80% Stevenson: #87de87 40-50% #37c837 50-60% Governor James R. Thompson Republican Party (United States) James R. Thompson Republican Party (United States) 52.37% Incumbent Governor James R. Thompson won reelection to a fourth term, defeating Adlai Stevenson III. This was a rematch of the previous 1982 gubernatorial election, which saw Stevenson as a Democratic nominee. Stevenson, who had won the Democratic gubernatorial primary, withdrew from the Democratic ticket after Mark Fairchild, a follower of Lyndon LaRouche, won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor. Stevenson refused to run on a ticket with supporters of LaRouche's ideology. Stevenson instead created the Illinois Solidarity Party and ran as its nominee. Gubernatorial election Republican Party (United States) James R. Thompson (incumbent) / George Ryan (incumbent) 1,655,849 52.67 Solidarity Party (Illinois) Adlai Stevenson III / Mike Howlett 1,256,626 39.97 Democratic Party (United States) No candidate / Mark Fairchild 208,830 6.64 Libertarian Party (United States) Gary L. Shilts/ Gerry Walsh 15,646 0.50 -0.16 Socialist Workers Party (United States) Diane Roling/ Jim Little 6,843 0.22 Write-in Others 184 0.01 3,143,978 100 Attorney General 1986 Illinois Attorney General election Illinois presidential no 1982 Illinois Attorney General election 1982 1990 Illinois Attorney General election 1990 November 4, 1986 File:Attorney General Neil Hartigan (cropped).jpg 150x150px Neil Hartigan Democratic Party (United States) 1,925,012 61.71% File:3x4.svg Bernard Carey Republican Party (United States) 1,129,193 36.20% 1986 Illinois Attorney General election results map by county.svg County resultsHartigan: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584cde 70–80%Carey: #ffb2b2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% 160px Attorney General Neil Hartigan Democratic Party (United States) Neil Hartigan Democratic Party (United States) 51.95% Incumbent Attorney General Neil Hartigan, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term. Democratic primary Incumbent Neil Hartigan defeated Chicago alderman Martin J. Oberman in the Democratic primary. Hartigan had originally declared his intention to forgo seeking reelection, and instead run for governor, but he ultimately reversed course and sought reelection after Adlai Stevenson III entered the race for governor.Dold R. Bruce CAREY FIGHTS HARTIGAN`S LEAD IN ATTORNEY GENERAL CONTEST https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-10-30-8603210776-story.html chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune 10 April 2020 30 October 1986 Attorney General Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) Neil F. Hartigan (incumbent) 531,801 61.67 Democratic Party (United States) Martin J. Oberman 330,561 38.33 Write-in Others 1 0.00 862,363 100 Republican primary Republican Village President of Arlington Heights James T. Ryan won the Republican primary, running unopposed.Former Wheeling Township Supervisor, Former Acting Arlington Heights Mayor Michael Schroeder Dies at 61 https://www.arlingtoncardinal.com/2016/05/former-wheeling-township-supervisor-former-acting-arlington-heights-mayor-michael-schroeder-dies/ Cardinal News Arlington Cardinal 10 April 2020 8 May 2016 Ryan stepped-down as nominee after allegations arose that he had committed domestic abuse against both his wife and ex-wife, which arose soon after he received his party's nomination.Daley Steve PAPER DIDN`T TRAMPLE PRIVACY WITH SCOOP https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-05-25-8602070651-story.html chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune 10 April 2020 25 May 1986 There had been originally been several other candidates running for the Republican nomination in the primary, but all withdrew soon after Democratic incumbent Hartigan announced that he would seek reelection. If he had been elected, Ryan would have been the first Republican sitting mayor elected to statewide office in Illinois since Edward C. Akin was elected Attorney General in 1898. After Ryan withdrew as the Republican nominee, he was replaced on the ballot by Bernard Carey, a member of the Cook County Board of Commissioners who had also formerly served as Cook County State's Attorney from 1972 through 1980. Ryan's withdrawal had taken place five months before the general election. Attorney General Republican primary Republican Party (United States) James T. Ryan 434,917 100 Write-in Others 4 0.00 434,921 100 General election Attorney General election Democratic Party (United States) Neil Hartigan (incumbent) 1,925,012 61.71 Republican Party (United States) Bernard Carey 1,129,193 36.20 Solidarity Party (Illinois) John Ray Keith 33,702 1.08 Libertarian Party (United States) Natalie Loder Clark 24,068 0.77 Socialist Workers Party (United States) Scott Dombeck 7,254 0.23 3,119,229 100 Secretary of State 1986 Illinois Secretary of State election Illinois presidential no 1982 Illinois elections#Secretary of State 1982 1990 Illinois elections#Secretary of State 1990 November 4, 1986 File:Jim Edgar circa 1987 (cropped).jpg 150x150px Jim Edgar Republican Party (United States) 2,095,489 67.16% File:3x4.svg Jane Spirgel Solidarity Party (Illinois) 521,410 16.71% File:3x4.svg Janice Hart Democratic Party (United States) 478,361 15.33% 1986 Illinois Secretary of State election results map by county.svg 300px County resultsEdgar: #ffb2b2 40-50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% #C21B18 80-90% Secretary of State Jim Edgar Republican Party (United States) Jim Edgar Republican Party (United States) 51.97 Incumbent Secretary of State Jim Edgar, a Republican first appointed in 1981 and subsequently elected to a full term in 1982, was reelected to a second full term. Democratic primary Little known candidate Janice Hart won an upset victory over Aurelia Pucinski (who had the backing of Adlai Stevenson III and others). While, not well-reported until after the primary, Hart was a member of the LaRouche movement. Secretary of State Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) Janice A. Hart 375,405 51.17 Democratic Party (United States) Aurelia Marie Pucinski 358,232 48.83 Write-in Others 1 0.00 733,637 100 Republican primary Secretary of State Republican primary Republican Party (United States) Jim Edgar (incumbent) 487,842 100 Write-in Others 8 0.00 487,850 100 General election The Illinois Solidarity Party ran Jane N. Spirgel in the election. Spirgel was an outgoing member of the DuPage County Board (on which she was the sole remaining Democratic member and had first been elected in 1974).Schmeltzer John `SPUNKY` SPIRGEL LAST DEMOCRATIC SURVIVOR ON DU PAGE COUNTY BOARD https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-05-06-8602010767-story.html chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune 10 April 2020 Secretary of State election Republican Party (United States) Jim Edgar 2,095,489 67.16 Solidarity Party (Illinois) Jane N. Spirgel 521,410 16.71 Democratic Party (United States) Janice A. Hart 478,361 15.33 Libertarian Party (United States) Steven L. Givot 17,566 0.56 Socialist Workers Party (United States) Holly Harkness 7,549 0.24 3,120,375 100 Comptroller 1986 Illinois State Comptroller election Illinois presidential no 1982 Illinois Comptroller election 1982 1990 Illinois Comptroller election 1990 November 4, 1986 File:Roland W. Burris circa 1987 Bb 39880 full (3x4).jpg 150x150px Roland Burris Democratic Party (United States) 1,880,413 61.33% File:Adeline Geo-Karis circa 1981 (3x4).jpg Adeline Geo-Karis Republican Party (United States) 1,074,923 35.06% 1986 Illinois state comptroller election results map by county.svg 160px County resultsBurris: #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% #584CDE 70–80%Geo-Karis: #FFB2B2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% State Comptroller Roland Burris Democratic Party (United States) Roland Burris Democratic Party (United States) 51.07% Incumbent Comptroller Roland Burris, a Democrat, was reelected to a third term. Democratic primary Comptroller Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) Roland W. Burris (incumbent) 633,142 77.74 Democratic Party (United States) Donald S. Clark 181,252 22.26 Write-in Others 1 0.00 814,395 100 Republican primary State Senator Adeline Jay Geo-Karis won the Republican primary unopposed. Comptroller Republican primary Republican Party (United States) Adeline Jay Geo-Karis 415,009 100 Write-in Others 1 0.00 415,010 100 General election Comptroller election Democratic Party (United States) Roland W. Burris (incumbent) 1,880,413 61.33 Republican Party (United States) Adeline Jay Geo-Karis 1,074,923 35.06 Solidarity Party (Illinois) A. Patricia Scott 78,389 2.56 Libertarian Party (United States) Donald Morris 22,428 0.73 Socialist Workers Party (United States) Jim Miles 9,998 0.33 3,066,151 100 Treasurer 1986 Illinois State Treasurer election Illinois presidential no 1982 Illinois elections#Treasurer 1982 1990 Illinois elections#Treasurer 1990 November 4, 1986 Jerome Constentino 1989 (3x4).jpg Jerome Cosentino Democratic Party (United States) 1,724,979 56.25% File:J Michael Houston with Sailors Cropped.png J. Michael Houston Republican Party (United States) 1,252,796 40.85% 1986 Illinois state treasurer election results map by county.svg 160px County resultsCosentino: #A5B0FF 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70%Houston: #FFB2B2 40–50% #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70%Tie: #D2B1D9 40–50% Treasurer James Donnewald Democratic Party (United States) Jerome Cosentino Democratic Party (United States) 51.08% Incumbent Treasurer James Donnewald, a Democrat, lost the Democratic primary to former Treasurer Jerome Cosentino. Consentino won the general election, earning him a second non-consecutive term. Democratic primary Incumbent James Donnewald lost renomination to former Treasurer Jerome Cosentino. Donnewald had been the party organization's favored candidate.Neal Steve COSENTINO: NEVER ONE TO DUCK A FIGHT https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-06-12-8602120202-story.html chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune 27 March 2020 12 June 1986Devall Cheryl COSENTINO`S EDGE CUTS BOTH WAYS https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1986-10-14-8603170524-story.html chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune 27 March 2020 14 October 1986 Other candidates running included Cook County Board of Appeals member Pat Quinn and LaRouche movement member Robert D. Hart (who had the formal backing of Lyndon LaRouche's NDPC).West Harry G. Sanders Todd Transparency and Conspiracy: Ethnographies of Suspicion in the New World Order https://books.google.com/books?id=HeMdeV_LvAMC Duke University Press 10 April 2020 224 en 17 April 2003 Treasurer Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) Jerry Cosentino 241,006 30.22 Democratic Party (United States) James H. Donnewald (incumbent) 235,052 29.47 Democratic Party (United States) Patrick Quinn 208,775 26.18 Democratic Party (United States) Robert D. Hart 112,645 14.13 Write-in Others 1 0.00 797,478 100 Republican primary J. Michael Houston, the mayor of Springfield, won the Republican nomination. Houston was seeking to become the first Republican Illinois Treasurer in over twenty years. He was also seeking to be the first Republican sitting mayor elected to statewide office in Illinois since Edward C. Akin was elected Illinois Attorney General in 1898.Dold R. Bruce RYAN FIGHTS HISTORY IN CAMPAIGN https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1985-12-08-8503240816-story.html chicagotribune.com Chicago Tribune 10 April 2020 8 December 1985 Treasurer Republican primary Republican Party (United States) Mike Houston 421,486 100 Write-in Others 3 0.00 421,489 100 General election Treasurer election Jerry Cosentino Democratic Party (United States) 1,724,979 56.25 Republican Party (United States) Mike Houston 1,252,796 40.85 Solidarity Party (Illinois) William E. Skedd 50,570 1.65 Libertarian Party (United States) Jay D. Marsh 19,875 0.65 Socialist Workers Party (United States) Lucille Robbins 18,285 0.60 3,066,505 100 State Senate Some of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1986. Democrats retained control of the chamber. State House of Representatives All of the seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1986. Democrats retained control of the chamber. Trustees of University of Illinois 1986 Trustees of University of Illinois election presidential no 1984 Illinois elections#Trustees of University of Illinois 1984 1988 Illinois elections#Trustees of University of Illinois 1988 November 4, 1986 An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois system for six year terms. The election saw the reelection incumbent Democrat Nina T. Shepherd to a third term, as well as the election of new Democratic trustees Judith Ann Calder and Charles Wolff. First-term incumbent Republicans Galey Day and Dean E. Madden lost reelection. Trustees of the University of Illinois electionTrustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees https://www.bot.uillinois.edu/UserFiles/Servers/Server_694865/File/UI-trustees-chronological.pdf University of Illinois 1 April 2020 Democratic Party (United States) Nina T. Shephered (incumbent) 1,394,762 16.67 Democratic Party (United States) Judith Ann Calder 1,362,623 16.29 Democratic Party (United States) Charles Wolff 1,300,436 15.54 Dean E. Madden (incumbent) Republican Party (United States) 1,271,806 15.20 Mrs. Galey Day (incumbent) Republican Party (United States) 1,253,707 14.99 David A. McConnell Republican Party (United States) 1,221,379 14.60 Elena Mulcahy Solidarity Party (Illinois) 108,337 1.30 James S. Spencer Solidarity Party (Illinois) 102,419 1.22 Philip Martin Solidarity Party (Illinois) 92,253 1.10 Anne McCracken Libertarian Party (United States) 83,586 1.00 Stephen N. Nelson Libertarian Party (United States) 52,823 0.63 Gene Bourke Libertarian Party (United States) 43,312 0.52 Pedro Vasquez Socialist Workers Party (United States) 31,220 0.37 Cathleen Gutekanst Socialist Workers Party (United States) 28,093 0.34 Stephen Bloodworth Socialist Workers Party (United States) 19,755 0.24 8,366,511 100 Judicial elections Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 1986. Ballot measures Illinois voters voted on two ballot measures in 1986,Illinois Constitution - Amendments Proposed http://www.ilga.gov/commission/lrb/conampro.htm www.ilga.gov Illinois General Assembly 26 March 2020 both of them legislatively referred constitutional amendments. In order to be approved, measures required either 60% support among those specifically voting on the amendment or 50% support among all ballots cast in the elections. Bail Amendment Voters approved the Bail Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which amended Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution of Illinois to further expand the population that may be denied bail.Illinois Bail Amendment (1986) https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_Bail_Amendment_(1986) Ballotpedia 29 March 2020 en Bail Amendment Option Votes % of voteson measure % of all ballotscast Yes1,368,24277.2541.18 No 402,891 22.75 12.13 Total votes 1,771,133 100 53.31 Voter turnout 29.50% 300px|thumb|Amendment results by county Yes: #28497C 80–90% #47729E 70–80% #7D9CBB 60–70% Exempt Veterans' Organizations from Property Taxes Amendment Exempt Veterans' Organizations from Property Taxes Amendment, a legislatively refereed constitutional amendment which would amend Article IX, Section 6 of the Constitution of Illinois to exempt property used exclusively by veterans' organizations from property taxes, failed to meet either threshold amend the constitution.Illinois Exempt Veterans' Organizations from Property Taxes (1986) https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_Exempt_Veterans%27_Organizations_from_Property_Taxes_(1986) Ballotpedia 29 March 2020 Exempt Veterans' Organizations from Property Taxes Amendment Option Votes % of voteson measure % of all ballotscast Yes 860,609 54.19 25.90 No 727,737 45.82 21.90 Total votes 1,588,346 100 47.80 Voter turnout 26.46% 300px|thumb|Amendment results by county Yes: #47729E 70–80% #7D9CBB 60–70% #B6C8D9 50–60% No: #DEDEBD 50–60% Local elections Local elections were held. These included county elections, such as the Cook County elections. References Illinois