1924 United States presidential election in Illinois explained

See main article: 1924 United States presidential election.

Election Name:1924 United States presidential election in Illinois
Country:Illinois
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Votes For Election:All 29 Illinois votes to the Electoral College
Previous Election:1920 United States presidential election in Illinois
Previous Year:1920
Next Election:1928 United States presidential election in Illinois
Next Year:1928
Election Date:November 4, 1924
Image1:Calvin Coolidge cph.3g10777 crop.jpg
Nominee1:Calvin Coolidge
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:Massachusetts
Running Mate1:Charles G. Dawes
Electoral Vote1:29
Popular Vote1:1,453,321
Percentage1:58.84%
Nominee2:John W. Davis
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:West Virginia
Running Mate2:Charles W. Bryan
Electoral Vote2:0
Popular Vote2:576,975
Percentage2:23.36%
Image3:Robert La Follette Sr crop.jpg
Nominee3:Robert M. La Follette
Party3:Progressive
Color3:A2ED70
Home State3:Wisconsin
Running Mate3:Burton K. Wheeler
Electoral Vote3:0
Popular Vote3:432,027
Percentage3:17.49%
Map Size:350px
President
Before Election:Calvin Coolidge
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Calvin Coolidge
After Party:Republican Party (United States)

The 1924 United States presidential election in Illinois took place on November 4, 1924, as part of the 1924 United States presidential election. State voters chose 29 representatives, or electors, to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president.

A strongly Democratic state during the Second Party System, Illinois became Republican-leaning after the American Civil War due to a combination of strong Free Soil Party heritage amongst its Yankee northern counties with the wartime conversion of some Virginian-settled rock-ribbed Democratic Southern Illinois counties[1] to Unionist Republicanism[2] à la Appalachia.[3] Between the Civil War and World War I, partisanship in Illinois – like in the Border States – largely re-fought the war, with the result that although the Democratic Party gained at least 43 percent of the statewide vote via Southern and German Catholic support in every election up to 1900, they never gained an absolute majority and carried the state's electoral votes only in 1892.[4]

Due to the Democratic Party's growing Populist and prohibitionist leanings, a decline in Democratic support after 1900 in its German Central Illinois strongholds transformed Illinois into a powerfully Republican state at all levels.[5] Even Woodrow Wilson in 1912 when the GOP was mortally divided carried the state by only a very narrow margin, and in 1920 hostility to the League of Nations and the perceived anti-German bias of both outgoing President Wilson and new Democratic nominee and former Ohio Governor James M. Cox – the latter of whom had banned German-language instruction in Ohio schools[6] – meant Harding carried Illinois by over 42 percentage points and the state was his sixth strongest in a national landslide. German Catholic Clinton County, and twelve southern-settled counties in the Illinois River valley and southward, went Republican for the first time.[7]

During the Republican National Convention, Illinosian Charles G. Dawes easily won the Vice-Presidential nomination ahead of fellow state resident Frank Lowden.[8] The first campaign in Illinois was not by Coolidge or Davis, but by radical third-party nominee, veteran Wisconsin Senator Robert M. La Follette, who on July 4 confirmed his previous plan to run a third-party campaign when nominated by the "Conference for Progressive Political Action".[9] La Follette on Labor Day, August 22, said he hoped to carry Illinois because he believed gubernatorial candidate Len Small would not aid the Coolidge ticket.[10] Democratic nominee John W. Davis, a conservative Southern Democrat from West Virginia, spent four days in Chicago conferring with party leaders from half-a-dozen other states,[11] but did not campaign downstate. Coolidge was urged to campaign in the state[12] after suspicions La Follette would be a severe threat in Chicago and other German-American communities.[13] Coolidge did not respond, and Dawes was viciously criticised by La Follette's running mate, Montana Senator Burton K. Wheeler, for being associated with the Central Trust Company and Lorimer Street State Savings Bank.[14]

At the beginning of the campaign it was considered possible that Davis could carry Illinois if there was a strong enough vote for La Follette.[15] However, as early as mid-August it was thought that the Coolidge-Dawes ticket was certain of carrying Illinois,[16] and in mid-September it seemed likely Coolidge was a clear first with La Follette running ahead of Davis,[17] a result that would be repeated in a survey during the second week of October.[18]

Primaries

The primaries and general elections coincided with those for other federal offices (Senate and House), as well as those for state offices.[19]

Turnout

The total vote in the state-run primary elections (Democratic and Republican) was 1,101,583.[19]

The total vote in the general election was 2,470,067.[19] Both major parties held non-binding state-run preferential primaries on April 8.[19]

Democratic

Election Name:1924 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1920 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
Previous Year:1920
Next Election:1928 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
Next Year:1928
Type:presidential
Country:Illinois
Candidate1:William Gibbs McAdoo
Home State1:California
Color1:a65453
Popular Vote1:180,544
Percentage1:98.93%
Map Size:280px

The 1924 Illinois Democratic presidential primary was held on April 8, 1924 in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Democratic Party's state primaries ahead of the 1924 presidential election.

The preference vote was a non-binding "beauty contest". Delegates were instead elected by direct votes by congressional district on delegate candidates.[19] Delegate candidates either were listed on the ballot with their preference on for a particular presidential candidate, or were listed as expressing no preference.[19]

The preference vote was near-unanimously won by the only name on the ballot, former United States Secretary of the Treasury William Gibbs McAdoo.[19]

1924 Illinois Democratic presidential primary! style="text-align:left;"
CandidateVotes%
William Gibbs McAdoo180,54498.93
William E. Dever (write-in)1,5740.86
Al Smith (write-in)2350.13
James Reed (write-in)840.05
Scattering660.04
Total182,503100

Republican

Election Name:1924 Illinois Republican presidential primary
Country:Illinois
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1920 Illinois Republican presidential primary
Previous Year:1920
Next Election:1928 Illinois Republican presidential primary
Next Year:1928
Candidate1:Calvin Coolidge
Home State1:Massachusetts
Color1:CE2029
Popular Vote1:533,193
Percentage1:58.01%
Candidate2:Hiram Johnson
Home State2:California
Color2:5d73e5
Popular Vote2:385,590
Percentage2:41.95%
Map Size:100px

The 1924 Illinois Republican presidential primary was held on April 8, 1924 in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Republican Party's state primaries ahead of the 1924 presidential election.

The preference vote was a "beauty contest". Delegates were instead selected by direct vote in each congressional district on delegate candidates.[19] Delegate candidates either were listed on the ballot with their preference on for a particular presidential candidate, or were listed as expressing no preference.[19]

1924 Illinois Republican presidential primary! style="text-align:left;"
CandidateVotes%
Calvin Coolidge (incumbent)533,19358.01
385,59041.95
Robert La Follette (write-in)2780.03
Scattering210.00
Total919,082100

Results

Presidential CandidateRunning MatePartyElectoral Vote (EV)Popular Vote (PV)
Calvin Coolidge of Massachusetts (incumbent)Charles G. DawesRepublican291,453,32158.84%
John W. DavisCharles W. BryanDemocratic0576,97523.36%
Robert M. La FolletteBurton K. WheelerProgressive0432,02717.49%
William Z. FosterBenjamin GitlowWorkers' Party America02,6220.11%
Herman P. FarisMarie C. BrehmProhibition02,3670.10%
Frank T. JohnsVerne L. ReynoldsSocialist Labor02,3340.09%
William WallaceJohn C. LincolnCommonwealth Land04210.02%

Results by county

CountyJohn Calvin Coolidge
Republican		John William Davis
Democratic		Robert Marion La Follette, Sr.
Progressive		Various candidates
Other parties		MarginTotal votes cast[20]
%%%%%
Adams9,98540.92%8,62835.35%5,69323.33%980.40%1,3575.56%24,404
Alexander4,46558.10%2,63934.34%5737.46%80.10%1,82623.76%7,685
Bond3,64456.88%2,14333.45%5859.13%350.55%1,50123.43%6,407
Boone4,87275.37%3485.38%1,23519.11%90.14%3,63756.27%6,464
Brown1,63741.49%2,14954.46%1393.52%210.53%-512-12.98%3,946
Bureau9,45760.38%1,99512.74%4,16926.62%420.27%5,28833.76%15,663
Calhoun1,13648.12%1,11547.23%1004.24%100.42%210.89%2,361
Carroll4,55960.93%6038.06%2,30130.75%190.25%2,25830.18%7,482
Cass3,13941.23%2,90938.21%1,54720.32%180.24%2303.02%7,613
Champaign14,24462.81%5,22123.02%3,14913.89%630.28%9,02339.79%22,677
Christian7,39846.08%5,82636.29%2,74117.07%910.57%1,5729.79%16,056
Clark4,73151.55%4,20345.79%2112.30%330.36%5285.75%9,178
Clay3,43249.60%2,98743.17%4796.92%210.30%4456.43%6,919
Clinton2,35829.69%1,69321.32%3,87648.80%150.19%-1,518-19.11%7,942
Coles8,34254.90%5,54436.49%1,2758.39%330.22%2,79818.42%15,194
Cook688,97361.87%226,14120.31%196,14917.61%2,3890.21%462,83241.56%1,113,652
Crawford4,83051.25%4,22344.81%3643.86%80.08%6076.44%9,425
Cumberland2,69851.09%2,38445.14%1903.60%90.17%3145.95%5,281
De Witt5,17358.77%2,75231.27%8469.61%310.35%2,42127.51%8,802
DeKalb10,50076.40%1,54011.20%1,65412.03%500.36%8,84664.36%13,744
Douglas4,04655.65%2,31531.84%87412.02%350.48%1,73123.81%7,270
DuPage16,91772.81%1,8938.15%4,37818.84%450.19%12,53953.97%23,233
Edgar6,29752.31%5,22243.38%5004.15%180.15%1,0758.93%12,037
Edwards2,75069.59%1,04726.49%1403.54%150.38%1,70343.09%3,952
Effingham3,15939.18%3,81447.30%1,07013.27%200.25%-655-8.12%8,063
Fayette5,01048.43%4,66845.13%6276.06%390.38%3423.31%10,344
Ford4,67270.53%1,09316.50%84912.82%100.15%3,57954.03%6,624
Franklin6,77939.59%5,79133.82%4,30425.14%2471.44%9885.77%17,121
Fulton8,66448.35%5,01127.96%4,15023.16%960.54%3,65320.38%17,921
Gallatin1,79239.16%2,38552.12%3688.04%310.68%-593-12.96%4,576
Greene3,52739.73%4,64852.35%6877.74%160.18%-1,121-12.63%8,878
Grundy4,33763.97%74210.94%1,68124.79%200.29%2,65639.17%6,780
Hamilton2,65944.02%3,16852.44%2003.31%140.23%-509-8.43%6,041
Hancock6,67851.83%5,18940.27%9637.47%550.43%1,48911.56%12,885
Hardin1,37849.06%1,35848.34%702.49%30.11%200.71%2,809
Henderson2,87972.87%80320.32%2576.50%120.30%2,07652.54%3,951
Henry13,15972.39%1,94410.69%3,02716.65%490.27%10,13255.73%18,179
Iroquois7,49864.07%2,30319.68%1,87316.01%280.24%5,19544.39%11,702
Jackson6,42449.30%4,70736.12%1,84514.16%540.41%1,71713.18%13,030
Jasper3,03047.37%3,14449.15%2013.14%220.34%-114-1.78%6,397
Jefferson5,40644.57%6,25851.59%4363.59%300.25%-852-7.02%12,130
Jersey2,46044.44%2,72349.19%3356.05%180.33%-263-4.75%5,536
Jo Daviess4,86450.36%1,47715.29%3,27933.95%390.40%1,58516.41%9,659
Johnson2,46860.59%1,40834.57%1884.62%90.22%1,06026.03%4,073
Kane32,71776.34%3,5178.21%6,51715.21%1070.25%26,20061.13%42,858
Kankakee12,46267.47%2,48813.47%3,43818.61%830.45%9,02448.85%18,471
Kendall3,51379.68%4329.80%45510.32%90.20%3,05869.36%4,409
Knox12,96865.89%2,61713.30%4,04420.55%510.26%8,92445.35%19,680
Lake18,22975.48%2,0088.31%3,67115.20%2421.00%14,55860.28%24,150
LaSalle21,41760.47%6,21617.55%7,68621.70%980.28%13,73138.77%35,417
Lawrence4,60751.50%4,10345.87%1671.87%680.76%5045.63%8,945
Lee8,36369.36%2,36719.63%1,28910.69%380.32%5,99649.73%12,057
Livingston9,69564.53%2,91119.37%2,38715.89%320.21%6,78445.15%15,025
Logan7,06357.16%3,70830.01%1,53712.44%480.39%3,35527.15%12,356
Macon16,45860.22%6,67024.40%4,12015.07%830.30%9,78835.81%27,331
Macoupin8,57139.24%6,13428.08%6,95931.86%1770.81%1,6127.38%21,841
Madison19,92647.61%12,86330.74%8,96521.42%970.23%7,06316.88%41,851
Marion5,88944.01%4,76835.63%2,67119.96%530.40%1,1218.38%13,381
Marshall3,77658.41%1,83628.40%82312.73%300.46%1,94030.01%6,465
Mason3,52252.72%2,53637.96%6049.04%180.27%98614.76%6,680
Massac3,22771.44%92020.37%3507.75%200.44%2,30751.07%4,517
McDonough7,50560.99%4,01632.63%7466.06%390.32%3,48928.35%12,306
McHenry8,75167.24%1,37210.54%2,86422.01%280.22%5,88745.23%13,015
McLean16,55055.95%6,82623.07%6,13220.73%740.25%9,72432.87%29,582
Menard2,93156.18%1,95437.45%3196.11%130.25%97718.73%5,217
Mercer5,61868.30%1,69920.66%89010.82%180.22%3,91947.65%8,225
Monroe2,39048.35%1,36927.70%1,17323.73%110.22%1,02120.66%4,943
Montgomery8,02247.26%5,62233.12%3,22519.00%1060.62%2,40014.14%16,975
Morgan8,22355.40%5,72138.54%8775.91%230.15%2,50216.86%14,844
Moultrie3,00153.10%2,40342.52%2253.98%230.41%59810.58%5,652
Ogle8,44971.61%1,59113.48%1,72714.64%320.27%6,72256.97%11,799
Peoria25,24358.55%6,34314.71%11,30626.22%2200.51%13,93732.33%43,112
Perry3,69339.76%3,00732.37%2,53627.30%530.57%6867.39%9,289
Piatt3,79964.31%1,73329.34%3545.99%210.36%2,06634.98%5,907
Pike4,98945.59%5,42449.57%4814.40%490.45%-435-3.98%10,943
Pope2,16166.51%97830.10%1063.26%40.12%1,18336.41%3,249
Pulaski3,35561.57%1,70031.20%3907.16%40.07%1,65530.37%5,449
Putnam1,36461.50%26011.72%58626.42%80.36%77835.08%2,218
Randolph4,52741.61%3,73434.32%2,59123.81%280.26%7937.29%10,880
Richland3,08250.07%2,74944.66%2954.79%290.47%3335.41%6,155
Rock Island20,56357.69%3,63110.19%11,32031.76%1330.37%9,24325.93%35,647
Saline6,08447.03%4,03731.21%2,74321.20%730.56%2,04715.82%12,937
Sangamon23,44351.58%12,64027.81%9,05419.92%3090.68%10,80323.77%45,446
Schuyler2,72946.21%2,86048.43%2985.05%190.32%-131-2.22%5,906
Scott2,22750.49%1,99445.21%1804.08%100.23%2335.28%4,411
Shelby5,60548.13%5,26545.21%7176.16%590.51%3402.92%11,646
St. Clair23,38045.85%14,92129.26%12,46824.45%2250.44%8,45916.59%50,994
Stark2,69871.07%78420.65%3108.17%40.11%1,91450.42%3,796
Stephenson8,63853.27%2,45215.12%5,08831.38%380.23%3,55021.89%16,216
Tazewell7,48852.11%3,37523.49%3,47024.15%370.26%4,01827.96%14,370
Union2,57939.16%3,78357.44%2163.28%80.12%-1,204-18.28%6,586
Vermilion17,82254.64%6,42419.70%8,07324.75%2960.91%9,74929.89%32,615
Wabash2,56445.61%2,44243.44%58910.48%260.46%1222.17%5,621
Warren6,91265.07%2,44022.97%1,22511.53%460.43%4,47242.10%10,623
Washington3,44456.43%1,71728.13%91715.03%250.41%1,72728.30%6,103
Wayne4,93752.70%4,24745.34%1641.75%200.21%6907.37%9,368
White3,78044.71%4,37751.77%2783.29%190.22%-597-7.06%8,454
Whiteside11,53274.04%1,95712.56%2,05713.21%300.19%9,47560.83%15,576
Will22,78064.16%4,70713.26%7,90222.26%1160.33%14,87841.90%35,505
Williamson9,36645.27%6,11729.57%5,11424.72%920.44%3,24915.70%20,689
Winnebago21,97871.32%2,2287.23%6,43420.88%1740.56%15,54450.44%30,814
Woodford4,29057.48%1,82824.49%1,32617.77%200.27%2,46232.98%7,464
Totals1,453,32158.84%576,97523.36%432,02717.49%7,7440.31%876,34635.48%2,470,067

Analysis

After polls in mid-October suggested a trend toward him, Davis intended to campaign downstate, but never did so. As election day neared, it became clearer that Coolidge would carry Illinois, although at the beginning of the fourth week of October it was thought he would win by only half Harding's 1920 margin, even with La Follette abandoning his campaigns in the Corn Belt.[21] Polls on October 29 further confirmed Illinois as in Coolidge's hands,[22]

Ultimately Coolidge won by substantially more than the mid-October predictions, although by less than Harding had in 1920. Davis did regain seven of the thirteen counties that defected to the GOP for the first time in 1920, but still did worse than any other major party nominee in Illinois presidential election history except William Howard Taft in 1912.[4] La Follette ran third below Davis, running far below his performance in his adjacent home state of Wisconsin and other states to the northwest, but nonetheless performed extremely well for a third party in German Catholic precincts and in industrial areas of the Upper Mississippi Valley adjacent to Iowa. The Wisconsin Senator did carry one county – German Catholic Clinton – which was the nation's southeasternmost county to vote for La Follette. Coolidge maintained the dominance that Warren Harding had enjoyed in 1920, despite losing substantial German Catholic and Mississippi Valley industrial support to La Folette.[23] This is the most recent presidential election in which Illinois would vote to the right of neighboring Indiana.

See also

Notes and References

  1. [Kevin Phillips (political commentator)|Phillips, Kevin P.]
  2. Wells, Damon; Stephen Douglas: The Last Years, 1857–1861, p. 285
  3. Copeland, James E.; ‘Where Were the Kentucky Unionists and Secessionists’; The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, volume 71, no. 4 (October, 1973), pp. 344-363
  4. Web site: Presidential General Election Results Comparison – Illinois. Dave Leip’s U.S. Election Atlas.
  5. [Elmer Eric Schattschneider|Schattschneider, Elmer Eric]
  6. Hough, Jerry F.; Changing Party Coalitions: The Mystery of the Red State-Blue State Alignment, pp. 86-87
  7. Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004, p. 52
  8. ‘Dawes Wins on 3rd Ballot: Gets 682 1/2 to 234 1/2 for Hoover on Opening of Night Session’; New York Times, June 13, 1924, p. 1
  9. Richardson, Danny G.; Others: “Fighting Bob” La Follette and the Progressive Movement: Third-Party Politics in the 1920s, p. 180
  10. ‘La Follette Opens Drive on Labor Day: Campaign Will Start With a Radio Speech From Washington. Hope to Carry Illinois: Leaders Say Small Won’t Support Coolidge – To Talk Finances Today’; New York Times, August 23, 1924, p. 1
  11. ‘Davis Optimistic as He Departs on Tour in the West: Situation in Illinois, Kansas, Nebraska and Iowa Better Than Figured’; The Washington Post, September 6, 1924, p. 2
  12. Price, Harry N.; ‘Middle West Trips Urged on Coolidge by Close Adversers: Sentiment for La Follette Is Growing There’; The Washington Post, September 13, 1924, p. 4
  13. Bohn, Frank; ‘Forecast of Election in All the States: Political Analyst Asserts That La Follette Vote Will Be Decisive Factor in Large Cities of North and West – Predicts Victory for Davis’; New York Times, September 14, 1924, p. XX4
  14. ‘Wheeler Assails Dawes in Chicago: Goes Into Rival's Connection With Lorimer and Bank That Failed’; New York Times, September 21, 1924, p. 3
  15. ‘Electoral Arthmetic’, New York Times, July 13, 1924, p. E2
  16. ‘Republicans Admit Their “Sure” States Fail of Majority: Those Now Counted as Certain for Coolidge Have Only 206 Electoral Votes’; New York Times, August 11, 1924, p. 1
  17. ‘Coolidge Is Leading in a Test Ballot: First 25,000 in Literary Digest Poll Puts Davis Third. La Follette Now Second; But It Is Explained the Returns Thus Far Are Too Scattered to Be Typical’; New York Times, September 19, 1924, p. 3
  18. ‘Davis Percentage Increases in Poll: But Coolidge Still Leads With 808,340 Out of Total of 1,451,591 Votes. La Follette Is Second: Democratic Candidate Has 10 States Thus Far, Coolidge 31 and La Follette Only 1’; New York Times, October 10, 1924, p. 3
  19. Web site: OFFICIAL VOTE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS CAST AT THE GENERAL ELECTION, November 4, 1924 JUDICIAL ELECTIONS, 1923-1924 SPECIAL ELECTIONS 1923-1924 PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, April 8, 1924 PRESIDENTIAL PREFERENCE, APRIL 8, 1924. Illinois State Board of Elections. 5 August 2020.
  20. Illinois State Board of Elections; Official Vote of the State of Illinois Cast at the General Election November 4, 1924 (highest elector for each slate)
  21. ‘Illinois Is Likely to Go to Coolidge: Davis Seems to Have Greater Hold on Farmers Than La Follette’; New York Times, October 22, 1924, p. 2
  22. Lawrence, David; ‘Decisive Victory for Coolidge Predicted: David Lawrence Tells What He Learned in Journey Through All Northern and Western States’; Boston Daily Globe; October 31, 1924, p. 1A
  23. Menendez; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, p. 59

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