1956 Illinois elections

none February 2026 September 2023 1956 Illinois elections Illinois 1915 presidential no 1954 Illinois elections 1954 1958 Illinois elections 1958 November 6, 1956 85.95% Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 6, 1956.OFFICIAL VOTE of the STATE OF ILLINOIS Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION, NOVEMBER 6, 1956 JUDICIAL ELECTION, 1955, 1956 • PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, APRIL 10 1958 https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1956/PE%20and%20GE%201956.pdf https://web.archive.org/web/20220704221556/https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1956/PE%20and%20GE%201956.pdf dead July 4, 2022 Illinois State Board of Elections 4 July 2020 Primaries were held on April 10, 1956.Illinois Blue Book 1955-1956 http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/bb/id/11792 815–16 www.idaillinois.org Illinois Secretary of State 1 April 2020 The results strongly favored the Republican Party,Cohen Adam Taylor Elizabeth American Pharaoh: Mayor Richard J. Daley - His Battle for Chicago and the Nation 2001 Little, Brown 978-0-7595-2427-9 147 https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=nGem2g467GAC en which retained control both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly as well as all statewide elected executive offices. They also won the state in the presidential election, retained the U.S. Senate seat up for election, and flipped a single U.S. House seat. 3 Election information Turnout In the primary election turnout was 36.96%, with a total of 1,839,577 ballots cast (961,999 Democratic and 877,578 Republican).OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 16, 1982 https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1982/1982%20PE.PDF www.elections.il.gov Illinois State Board of Elections 4 July 2020 February 2021 InternetArchiveBot yes In the general election turnout was 85.95%, with a total of 4,484,956 ballots cast.OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 2, 1982 https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1982/1982%20GE.PDF www.elections.il.gov Illinois State Board of Elections 4 July 2020 February 2021 InternetArchiveBot yes Federal elections United States President 1956 United States presidential election in Illinois 1956 United States presidential election Illinois voted for the Republican ticket of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. For the second consecutive election, Illinois' vote for the Republican Eisenhower-Nixon ticket came despite the fact that former Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson II was the Democratic presidential nominee. United States Senate 1956 United States Senate election in Illinois 1956 United States Senate elections Republican Senator Everett Dirksen was reelected to a second term. United States House 1956 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois 1956 United States House of Representatives elections All 25 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1956. The Republicans flipped one Democratic-held seat, leaving the composition of Illinois' House delegation to consist of 14 Republicans and 11 Democrats. State elections Governor 1956 Illinois gubernatorial election 1956 Illinois gubernatorial election Illinois 1915 presidential no 1952 Illinois gubernatorial election 1952 November 6, 1956 1960 Illinois gubernatorial election 1960 x150px William Stratton Republican Party (United States) 2,171,786 50.34% x150px Richard B. Austin Democratic Party (United States) 2,134,909 49.48% 1956 Illinois gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 160px County results Stratton: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% Austin: #a5b0ff 40–50% #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Governor William Stratton Republican Party (United States) William Stratton Republican Party (United States) 82.69% Incumbent Governor William Stratton, a Republican, narrowly won reelection to a second term. General election Herbert C. Paschen (winner of the Democratic primary) withdrew and was replaced by Richard B. Austin as Democratic nominee. Gubernatorial electionIllinois Blue Book 1957-1958 http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/ref/collection/bb/id/32475 903–04 www.idaillinois.org Illinois Secretary of State 1 April 2020 Republican Party (United States) William G. Stratton (incumbent) 2,171,786 50.34 Democratic Party (United States) Richard B. Austin 2,134,909 49.48 Socialist Labor Party (United States) Edward C. Cross 7,874 0.18 Write-in Others 42 0.00 4,314,611 100 Lieutenant governor 1956 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election Illinois 1915 presidential no 1952 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election 1952 1960 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election 1960 November 6, 1956 John William Chapman 1953 (3x4).jpg John William Chapman Republican Party (United States) 2,240,542 53.18% 3x4.svg Roscoe Bonjean Democratic Party (United States) 1,964,722 46.64% 1956 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election results map by county.svg 160px County resultsChapman: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Bonjean: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Lieutenant Governor John William Chapman Republican Party (United States) John William Chapman Republican Party (United States) 80.74% Incumbent lieutenant governor John William Chapman, a Republican, won reelection to a second term. Democratic primary Lieutenant Governor Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) Roscoe Bonjean 441,873 63.15 Democratic Party (United States) James L. Griffin 257,884 36.85 Write-in Others 5 0.00 699,762 100 Republican primary Lieutenant Governor Republican primary Republican Party (United States) John William Chapman (incumbent) 655,018 100 Write-in Others 4 0.00 655,022 100 General election Lieutenant Governor election Republican Party (United States) John William Chapman (incumbent) 2,240,542 53.18 Democratic Party (United States) Roscoe Bonjean 1,964,722 46.64 Socialist Labor Party (United States) Frank Schnur 7,540 0.18 4,212,804 100 Attorney general 1956 Illinois Attorney General election Illinois 1915 presidential no 1952 Illinois Attorney General election 1952 1960 Illinois Attorney General election 1960 November 6, 1956 x150px Latham Castle 31641 (3x4).jpg Latham Castle Republican Party (United States) 2,310,346 54.72% 3x4.svg James L. O'Keefe Democratic Party (United States) 1,904,439 45.11% 1956 Illinois attorney general election results map by county.svg 300px County resultsCastle: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%O'Keefe: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Attorney General William L. Guild Republican Party (United States) William G. Clark Democratic Party (United States) 80.92% Incumbent attorney general Latham Castle, a Republican, was elected to a second term. Democratic primary Attorney General Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) James L. O'Keefe 651,226 100 Write-in Others 1 0.00 651,227 100 Republican primary Attorney General Republican primary Republican Party (United States) Latham Castle (incumbent) 655,115 100 Democratic Party (United States) Write-in 4 0.00 655,119 100 General election Attorney General election Republican Party (United States) Latham Castle (incumbent) 2,310,346 54.72 Democratic Party (United States) James L. O'Keefe 1,904,439 45.11 Socialist Labor Party (United States) George P. Milonas 7,460 0.18 4,222,245 100 Secretary of State 1960 Illinois Secretary of State election Illinois 1915 presidential no 1952 Illinois Secretary of State election 1952 1960 Illinois Secretary of State election 1960 November 6, 1956 x150px Charles F. Carpentier circa 1957 (3x4).jpg Charles F. Carpentier Republican Party (United States) 2,432,954 56.94% 3x4.svg David F. Mallet Democratic Party (United States) 1,832,677 42.89% 1956 Illinois Secretary of State election results map by county.svg 250px County results Carpentier:#e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80% Mallet: #7996e2 50–60% #6674DE 60–70% Secretary of State Charles F. Carpentier Republican Party (United States) Charles F. Carpentier Republican Party (United States) 81.89% Incumbent Secretary of State Charles F. Carpentier, a Republican, was reelected to a second term. Democratic primary Secretary of State Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) David F. Mallet 650,286 100 Democratic Party (United States) Write-in 2 0.00 650,288 100 Republican primary Secretary of State Republican primary Republican Party (United States) Charles F. Carpentier (incumbent) 609,658 80.18 Republican Party (United States) Nicholas J. Bohling 150,704 19.82 Write-in Others 1 0.00 760,363 100 General election Secretary of State election Republican Party (United States) Charles F. Carpentier (incumbent) 2,432,954 56.94 Democratic Party (United States) David F. Mallet 1,832,677 42.89 Socialist Labor Party (United States) Gregory P. Lyngas 7,260 0.17 Write-in Others 1 0.00 4,272,892 100 Auditor of Public Accounts 1956 Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts election Illinois 1915 presidential no 1952 Illinois elections#Auditor of Public Accounts 1952 1960 Illinois elections#Auditor of Public Accounts 1960 November 6, 1956 x150px Elbert S. Smith 31635 (3x4).jpg Elbert S. Smith Republican Party (United States) 2,217,229 52.55% Michael J. Howlett (3x4).jpg Michael Howlett Democratic Party (United States) 1,992,707 47.23 1956 Illinois auditor of public accounts election results map by county.svg 160px County resultsSmith: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Howlett: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Auditor of Public Accounts Lloyd Morey Republican Party (United States) Elbert S. Smith Republican Party (United States) 80.87% Auditor of Public Accounts Orville Hodge, who had been elected in 1952, was seeking re-election and had won the Republican primary before being charged with 54 counts of bank fraud, embezzlement and forgery relating to a $6.15 million fraud he committed against the state; Hodge was removed from office, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 12 to 15 years in prison. Lloyd Morey was appointed in 1957 to replace Hodge, but decided not to seek reelection. Republican Elbert S. Smith was elected to succeed Morey. Democratic primary Auditor of Public Accounts Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) Michael J. Howlett 644,184 644,184 100 Republican primary Auditor of Public Accounts Republican primary Republican Party (United States) Orville Hodge (incumbent) 672,439 100 Democratic Party (United States) Write-in 2 0.00 672,441 100 General election Auditor of Public Accounts election Republican Party (United States) Elbert S. Smith 2,217,229 52.55 Democratic Party (United States) Michael J. Howlett 1,992,707 47.23 Socialist Labor Party (United States) Stanley L. Prorok 9,468 0.22 4,219,404 100 Treasurer 1956 Illinois State Treasurer election Illinois 1915 presidential no 1954 Illinois Treasurer election 1954 1958 Illinois Treasurer election 1958 November 6, 1956 x150px Elmer J Hoffman (1).jpg Elmer J. Hoffman Republican Party (United States) 2,226,340 52.81% 3x4.svg Arthur L. Hellyer Democratic Party (United States) 1,981,234 47.00% 1956 Illinois state treasurer election results map by county.svg 300px County resultsHoffman: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Hellyer: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Treasurer Warren Wright Republican Party (United States) Elmer J. Hoffman Republican Party (United States) 80.80% Incumbent Treasurer Warren Wright, a Republican, did not seek reelection to a second-consecutive (third overall) term, instead opting to run (ultimately unsuccessfully) for the Republican nomination for governor. Republican Elmer J. Hoffman was elected to succeed him in office, earning Hoffman a second non-consecutive term as Treasurer. This was the first Illinois Treasurer election to a four-year term, as voters approved a constitutional amendment in 1954 which extended term length from two to four-years beginning in 1956. Democratic primary Arthur L. Hellyer, who served as DuPage County Treasurer from 1934 until 1938 was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.Decker Randall E. Lay Trustee is Demo Candidate for Illinois Office Contact St. Joseph's College 18 6 2 March 1956 Collegeville, Indiana June 17, 2025 https://archive.org/details/Contact-1956-03/page/n1/mode/2up?q=Hellyer Treasurer Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) Arthur L. Hellyer 635,633 100 Write-in Others 1 0.00 635,634 100 Republican primary Treasurer Republican primary Republican Party (United States) Elmer J. Hoffman 666,961 100 Write-in Others 8 0.00 666,969 100 General election Treasurer election Elmer J. Hoffman Republican Party (United States) 2,226,340 52.81 Democratic Party (United States) Arthur L. Hellyer 1,981,234 47.00 Socialist Labor Party (United States) Rudolph Kosle 8,244 0.20 4,215,818 100 Clerk of the Supreme Court 1956 Illinois Clerk of the Supreme Court election Illinois 1915 presidential no 1950 Illinois elections#Clerk of the Supreme Court 1950 1962 Illinois elections#Clerk of the Supreme Court 1962 November 6, 1956 x150px Fae Searcy circa 1961 (3x4).jpg Fae Searcy Republican Party (United States) 2,285,311 54.39% 3x4.svg James P. Alexander Democratic Party (United States) 1,909,378 45.44% 1956 Illinois clerk of the supreme court election results map by county.svg 160px County resultsSearcy: #e27f7f 50–60% #d75d5d 60–70% #d72f30 70–80%Alexander: #7996e2 50–60% #6674de 60–70% Clerk Fae Searcy Republican Party (United States) Fae Searcy Republican Party (United States) 80.53% Incumbent Clerk of the Supreme Court Fae Searcy, a Republican appointed after the death in office of her husband Earle Benjamin Searcy, won reelection to a first full term. Instead of being listed by her own name, Searcy opted to be listed on the ballot in both the primary and general election as "Ms. Earle Benjamin Searcy". Democratic primary Clerk of the Supreme Court Democratic primary Democratic Party (United States) James P. Alexander 631,400 100 Write-in Others 6 0.00 631,406 100 Republican primary Clerk of the Supreme Court Republican primary Republican Party (United States) Fae Searcy (incumbent) 647,649 100 Write-in Others 1 0.00 647,650 100 General election Clerk of the Supreme Court election Fae Searcy (incumbent) Republican Party (United States) 2,285,311 54.39 Democratic Party (United States) James P. Alexander 1,909,378 45.44 Socialist Labor Party (United States) Walter J. Leibfritz 7,279 0.17 4,201,968 100 State Senate Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1960. Republicans retained control of the chamber. State House of Representatives Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1956. Republicans retained control of the chamber. Trustees of University of Illinois 1956 Trustees of University of Illinois election presidential no 1954 Illinois elections#Trustees of University of Illinois 1954 1958 Illinois elections#Trustees of University of Illinois 1958 November 6, 1956 An election using cumulative voting was held for three of the nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois. All three Republican nominees won. The election was for 6-year terms. Incumbent Republican Wayne A. Johnston won a second term. Incumbent Republican Timothy W. Swain, appointed in 1955 after the resignation of Red Grange, won election to his first full term. Also, joining them in winning election, was Republican Earl M. Hughes. Incumbent first-term Republican Herbert B. Megran had not been nominated for 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 Republican Party (United States) Wayne A. Johnston (incumbent) 2,301,855 18.37 Republican Party (United States) Timothy W. Swain (incumbent) 2,280,467 18.19 Republican Party (United States) Earl M. Hughes 2,232,759 17.81 Joseph Bruce Campbell Democratic Party (United States) 1,930,866 15.41 Richard J. Nelson Democratic Party (United States) 1,889,835½ 14.95 Don Forsyth Democratic Party (United States) 1,873,181 14.95 Socialist Labor Party (United States) Elizabeth W. White 8,996 0.07 Socialist Labor Party (United States) Henry Schilling 8,216 0.07 Socialist Labor Party (United States) Albert Bikar 7,910 0.06 12,534,085½ 100 Judicial elections On April 10, special elections were held for vacancies on the Third and Sixteenth Judicial Circuit Districts. On November 2, special elections were held for three vacancies on the Superior Court of Cook County. Ballot measures Two ballot measures, were put before Illinois voters in 1956. General Banking Law Amendment Voters approved the General Banking Law Amendment a legislatively referred state statute which modified the state's banking law.Illinois General Banking Law Amendment (1956) https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_General_Banking_Law_Amendment_(1956) Ballotpedia 1 April 2020 en General Banking Law Amendment Yes 1,472,236 76.84 No 443,650 23.16 1,915,886 100 36.72 170px|thumb|Amendment results by county Yes: #28497C 80–90% #47729E 70–80% #7D9CBB 60–70% #B6C8D9 50–60% No: #DEDEBD 50–60% Revenue Amendment The Revenue Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which would have amended Article IX Sections 1, 2, 3, 9 and 10 and repeal Article IX Section 13 of the 1870 Constitution of Illinois to give more leeway to the legislature in creating tax policy, while specifically forbidding the authorization of a graduated income tax, failed to meet either threshold for adoption.Illinois Revenue Amendment (1956) https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_Revenue_Amendment_(1956) Ballotpedia 1 April 2020 In order for constitutional amendments to pass, they required either two-thirds support among those specifically voting on the measure or 50% support among all ballots cast in the elections.1870 Illinois Constitution Article XIVIllinois Re-election of County Officers Amendment (1952) https://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_Re-election_of_County_Officers_Amendment_(1952) Ballotpedia 1 April 2020 en Revenue Amendment Option Votes % of votes on measure % of all ballotscast Yes 2,139,150 60.30 47.70 No 1,408,132 39.70 31.40 Total votes 3,547,282 100 79.09 Voter turnout 67.98% 170px|thumb|Amendment results by county No: #5D5D2D 80–90% #8B8B54 70–80% #BCBC83 60–70% #DEDEBD 50–60% Yes: #B6C8D9 50–60% Local elections Local elections were held. References Illinois