1976 Illinois gubernatorial election

For related races, see 1976 United States gubernatorial elections.

The 1976 Illinois gubernatorial election was held in Illinois on November 2, 1976.^[1] Incumbent first-term Democratic governor Dan Walker lost renomination to Illinois Secretary of State Michael Howlett, who was an ally of Chicago mayor Richard J. Daley. Howlett then lost the general election to Republican nominee James R. Thompson. This election was the first of seven consecutive Republican gubernatorial victories in Illinois, a streak not broken until the election of Democrat Rod Blagojevich in 2002.

1976 Illinois gubernatorial election

← 1972 November 2, 1976 1978 →
Turnout	74.18% 1.1 pp
Nominee James R. Thompson Michael Howlett Party Republican Democratic Running mate Dave O'Neal Neil Hartigan Popular vote 3,000,395 1,610,258 Percentage 64.68% 34.71%
County results Thompson:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90% Howlett:      50–60%
Governor before election Dan Walker Democratic Elected Governor James R. Thompson Republican

Election information

This election was for a two-year term which would synchronize future gubernatorial elections with midterm election years, rather than presidential election years, as the 1970 Constitution of Illinois required gubernatorial elections to be held in midterm election years starting in 1978.^[2] The previous election had been in 1972.

The primaries (held on March 16) and general election coincided with those for federal offices (United States President and House) and those for other state offices.^[1] The election was part of the 1976 Illinois elections.

Turnout

Turnout in the primaries saw 38.79% in the gubernatorial primaries, with a total of 2,231,910 votes cast, and 33.89% in the lieutenant gubernatorial primary, with 1,949,469 votes cast.^[1]

Turnout during the general election was 74.18%, with 4,639,010 votes cast.^[1]

Democratic primary

Governor

The incumbent Governor, Dan Walker, had a contentious relationship with the Daley Machine, which backed Secretary of State Michael Howlett. Walker carried most of the state's counties, but Howlett carried Cook county by a wide margin and was ultimately nominated.

 

County map of the 1976 Illinois Democratic gubernatorial primary
Howlett:      50-60%      60-70%
Walker:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90%.

1976 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Illinois^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Democratic	Michael J. Howlett	811,721	53.82
	Democratic	Dan Walker (incumbent)	696,380	46.17
	Write-in	Others	245	0.02	n-a
Majority			115,341	7.65
Turnout			1,508,346

Lieutenant governor

Incumbent Lieutenant Governor Neil Hartigan was renominated, defeating Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago commissioner Joanne H. Alter.

Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Neil F. Hartigan (incumbent)	857,910	66.29
	Democratic	Joanne H. Alter	436,322	33.71
	Write-in	Others	29	0.00
Total votes			1,294,232	100

Republican primary

Governor

Thompson won the Republican Primary in a landslide, carrying every county.

1976 Republican gubernatorial primary, Illinois^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James R. Thompson	625,457	86.44
	Republican	Richard H. Cooper	97,937	13.54
	Republican	write-ins	170	0.02	n-a
Majority			527,484	29.97
Turnout			723,564

Lieutenant governor

Dave O'Neal won the Republican primary, defeating Joan G. Anderson.

Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	David C. O'Neal	376,126	57.40
	Republican	Joan G. Anderson	279,087	42.59
	Write-in	Others	24	0.00
Total votes			655,237	100

General election

 

Thompson joins President Gerald Ford on a whistle stop in Springfield

1976 gubernatorial election, Illinois^[1]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Republican	James R. Thompson/Dave O'Neal	3,000,365	64.68
	Democratic	Michael J. Howlett/Neil F. Hartigan	1,610,258	34.71
	Communist	Ishmael Flory/Linda R. Appelhans	10,091	0.22
	Libertarian	F. Joseph McCaffrey/Georgia E. Shields	7,552	0.16
	Socialist Workers	Suzanne Haig/Dennis Brasky	4,926	0.11
	Socialist Labor	George LaForest/Stanley A. Prorok	3,147	0.07
	U.S. Labor	Edward Waffle/Peter Matni	2,302	0.05
	Write-in	Others	369	0.01	n-a
Majority			1,390,137	29.97
Turnout			4,639,010
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing

References

1. (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2021. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
2. w. "Illinois Constitution – Article V". Ilga.gov. Retrieved April 4, 2015.