1952 Illinois elections explained

Election Name:1952 Illinois elections
Country:Illinois
Flag Year:1915
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1950 Illinois elections
Previous Year:1950
Next Election:1954 Illinois elections
Next Year:1954
Election Date:November 4, 1952
Turnout:86.04%

Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 4, 1952.[1]

Primaries were held on April 8.[1] [2]

The elections, in large part, saw a strong performance by the Republican Party.

The Republican Party retained control both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly and also won the Governorship, winning them a trifecta of state government control. They also swept all statewide elected executive offices. Additionally, they won all three seats for University of Illinois Trustees that were up for election.

For the first time since 1928, Illinois voted for the Republican presidential ticket, despite the fact that the Democratic ticket was headed by incumbent Illinois Governor Adlai Stevenson II.

Election information

Turnout

In the primary, 2,289,347 ballots were cast (891,991 Democratic and 1,397,356 Republican).[1] [2]

In the general election, turnout was 86.04% with a total of 4,563,305 ballots cast.[1] [3]

Federal elections

United States President

See main article: 1952 United States presidential election in Illinois.

See also: 1952 United States presidential election.

Illinois voted for the Republican ticket of Dwight D. Eisenhower and Richard Nixon. They defeated the Democratic ticket of (incumbent Illinois Governor) Adlai Stevenson II and John Sparkman.

This was the first time since 1928 that Illinois had voted for the Republican presidential ticket. This came despite the fact that the Democratic ticket was headed by Stevenson.

United States House

Illinois had redistricted before this election, and had lost one seat due to reapportionment following the 1950 United States Census. All of Illinois' remaining 25 seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1952.

Before the election Republicans held 18 seats and Democrats held 8 seats from Illinois. In 1952, Republicans won 16 seats and Democrats won 9 seats.

State elections

Governor

See main article: 1952 Illinois gubernatorial election.

Election Name:1952 Illinois gubernatorial election
Country:Illinois
Flag Year:1915
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1948 Illinois gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1948
Election Date:November 4, 1952
Next Election:1956 Illinois gubernatorial election
Next Year:1956
Nominee1:William Stratton
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:2,317,363
Percentage1:52.48%
Nominee2:Sherwood Dixon
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:2,089,721
Percentage2:47.32%
Map Size:150px
Governor
Before Election:Adlai Stevenson II
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:William Stratton
After Party:Republican Party (United States)
Turnout:83.26%

Incumbent Governor Adlai Stevenson II, a Democrat, ultimately did not seek a second term, instead opting to run as his party's nominee for President of the United States. Republican William Stratton was elected to succeed him in office.

General election

Lieutenant governor

Election Name:1952 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election
Country:Illinois
Flag Year:1915
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1948 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election
Previous Year:1948
Next Election:1956 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election
Next Year:1956
Election Date:November 4, 1952
Image1:John William Chapman circa 1927 (1).jpg
Nominee1:John William Chapman
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:2,291,812
Percentage1:52.77%
Nominee2:Herbert C. Paschen
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:2,043,021
Percentage2:47.05%
Map Size:150px
Lieutenant Governor
Before Election:Sherwood Dixon
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:John William Chapman
After Party:Republican Party (United States)
Turnout:81.88%

Incumbent lieutenant governor Sherwood Dixon, a Democrat, ultimately did not seek reelection to a second term, instead opting to run for governor. Republican John William Chapman was elected to succeed him in office.

Before being made the Democratic nominee for governor (replacing Adlai Stevenson II, who opted to instead read for president for the United States), Dixon had been running for reelection, even winning the Democratic nomination. Judge Herbert C. Paschen replaced Dixon as the Democratic nominee for lieutenant governor.

General election

Attorney general

Election Name:1952 Illinois Attorney General election
Country:Illinois
Flag Year:1915
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1948 Illinois Attorney General election
Previous Year:1948
Next Election:1956 Illinois Attorney General election
Next Year:1956
Election Date:November 4, 1952
Image1:Latham Castle.png
Nominee1:Latham Castle
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:2,269,082
Percentage1:52.36%
Nominee2:Ivan A. Elliott
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:2,056,411
Percentage2:47.46%
Map Size:150px
Attorney General
Before Election:Ivan A. Elliott
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Latham Castle
After Party:Republican Party (United States)
Turnout:81.71%

Incumbent attorney general Ivan A. Elliott, a Democrat running for a second term, lost to Republican Latham Castle.

General election

Secretary of State

Election Name:1952 Illinois Secretary of State election
Country:Illinois
Flag Year:1915
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1948 Illinois elections#Secretary of State
Previous Year:1948
Next Election:1956 Illinois elections#Secretary of State
Next Year:1956
Election Date:November 4, 1952
Nominee1:Charles F. Carpentier
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:2,196,327
Percentage1:50.02%
Nominee2:Edward J. Barrett
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:2,187,024
Percentage2:49.81%
Map Size:150px
Secretary of State
Before Election:Edward J. Barrett
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Party:Republican Party (United States)
Turnout:82.80%

The Secretary of State Edward J. Barrett, a Democrat seeking a third term, was defeated by Republican Charles F. Carpentier.

General election

Auditor of Public Accounts

Election Name:1952 Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts election
Country:Illinois
Flag Year:1915
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1948 Illinois elections#Auditor of Public Accounts
Previous Year:1948
Next Election:1956 Illinois elections#Auditor of Public Accounts
Next Year:1956
Election Date:November 4, 1952
Nominee1:Orville Hodge
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:2,336,424
Percentage1:53.77%
Nominee2:Benjamin O. Cooper
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:2,001,023
Percentage2:46.05%
Auditor of Public Accounts
Before Election:Benjamin O. Cooper
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Orville Hodge
After Party:Republican Party (United States)
Turnout:81.94%

Incumbent Auditor of Public Accounts Benjamin O. Cooper, a Democrat seeking a second term, was defeated by Republican Orville Hodge.

General election

Treasurer

Election Name:1952 Illinois State Treasurer election
Country:Illinois
Flag Year:1915
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1950 Illinois elections#Treasurer
Previous Year:1950
Next Election:1954 Illinois elections#Treasurer
Next Year:1954
Election Date:November 4, 1952
Image1:Elmer J Hoffman (1).jpg
Nominee1:Elmer J. Hoffman
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Popular Vote1:2,366,170
Percentage1:54.15%
Nominee2:Fred A. Cain
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Popular Vote2:1,996,132
Percentage2:45.68%
Treasurer
Before Election:William Stratton
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Elmer J. Hoffman
After Party:Republican Party (United States)
Turnout:82.40%

Incumbent Treasurer William Stratton, a Republican, did not seek reelection to a second-consecutive (third overall) term, instead opting to run for governor. Republican Elmer J. Hoffman was elected to succeed him in office.

General election

State Senate

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1952. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

State House of Representatives

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1952. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

Trustees of University of Illinois

Election Name:1952 Trustees of University of Illinois election
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1950 Illinois elections#Trustees of University of Illinois
Previous Year:1950
Next Election:1954 Illinois elections#Trustees of University of Illinois
Next Year:1954
Election Date:November 4, 1952

An election was held for three of the nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois. All three Republican nominees won.

Republican incumbent Park Livingston was reelected to a third term. Republican incumbent Doris Holt was reelected to a second term. Joining them in being elected was fellow Republican Cushman Bissell.

Ballot measures

Five statewide ballot measures were put before the residents of Illinois in 1952.

In order for constitutional amendments (of which all but one ballot measure was) 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.[4] [5]

County Officers' Compensation Amendment

Voters approved the County Officers' Compensation Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which amended Article X Section 10 of the 1870 Constitution of Illinois to establish rules for the compensation of county officer which stated that the compensation amount would be set by the county board and could not increase or diminish during the term of office.[1] [6]

County Officers' Compensation Amendment
OptionVotes% of voteson measure% of all ballots
cast
text align=center Yestext align=center 2,024,823text align=center 67.40text align=center 44.37
text align=center Notext align=center 979,401text align=center 32.60text align=center 21.46
text align=center Total votestext align=center 3,005,155text align=center 100text align=center 65.86
Voter turnout colspan=3 text align=right 56.66%

Double Liability Banking Amendment

Voters approved the Double Liability Banking Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which amended Article XI Section 6 of the 1870 Constitution of Illinois to make it so that individual stockholders of banking institutions should not be personally liable to the creditors of the corporation.[1] [7]

Double Liability Banking Amendment
OptionVotes% of voteson measure% of all ballots
cast
text align=center Yestext align=center 2,072,965text align=center 68.69text align=center 45.43
text align=center Notext align=center 944,845text align=center 31.31text align=center 20.70
text align=center Total votestext align=center 3,017,810text align=center 100text align=center 66.13
Voter turnout colspan=3 text align=right 56.90%

General Banking Law Amendment

Voters approved the General Banking Law Amendment, a legislatively referred state statute which made changes to section 13 of the general banking law.[1]

Re-election of County Officers Amendment

The Re-election of County Officers Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which would amend Article X Section 8 of the 1870 Constitution of Illinois create new rules for the election of officers in each county, failed to pass either threshold for adoption.[1] [5]

Re-election of County Officers Amendment
OptionVotes% of voteson measure% of all ballots
cast
text align=center Yestext align=center 1,953,675text align=center 64.30text align=center 42.81
text align=center Notext align=center 1,084,864text align=center 35.70text align=center 23.77
text align=center Total votestext align=center 3,038,539text align=center 100text align=center 66.59
Voter turnout colspan=3 text align=right 57.29%

Revenue Amendment

The Revenue Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which would amend Article IX Sections 1, 2 3, 9, and 10 and repeal Section IX Section 13 to modify the power of the legislature to levy taxes, failed to reach either threshold required for adoption.[1] [8]

Double Liability Banking Amendment
OptionVotes% of voteson measure% of all ballots
cast
text align=center Yestext align=center 1,838,596text align=center 61.37text align=center 40.29
text align=center Notext align=center 1,157,406text align=center 38.63text align=center 25.36
text align=center Total votestext align=center 2,996,002text align=center 100text align=center 65.65
Voter turnout colspan=3 text align=right 56.49%

Local elections

Local elections were held.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: OFFICIAL VOTE of the STATE OF ILLINOIS Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION, NOVEMBER 4, 1952 JUDICIAL ELECTION, 1951 • PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, APRIL 8 1952 . Illinois State Board of Elections . 11 July 2020 .
  2. Book: Illinois Blue Book 1951-1952. Illinois Secretary of State . 757–758 . 31 March 2020.
  3. Web site: OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 2, 1982 . www.elections.il.gov . Illinois State Board of Elections . 4 July 2020 .
  4. 1870 Illinois Constitution Article XIV
  5. Web site: Illinois Re-election of County Officers Amendment (1952) . Ballotpedia . 1 April 2020 . en.
  6. Web site: Illinois County Officers' Compensation Amendment (1952) . Ballotpedia . 1 April 2020.
  7. Web site: Illinois Double Liability Banking Amendment (1952) . Ballotpedia . 1 April 2020 . en.
  8. Web site: Illinois Revenue Amendment (1952) . Ballotpedia . 1 April 2020 . en.