1980 United States presidential election in Illinois explained

See main article: 1980 United States presidential election.

Election Name:1980 United States presidential election in Illinois
Country:Illinois
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1976 United States presidential election in Illinois
Previous Year:1976
Next Election:1984 United States presidential election in Illinois
Next Year:1984
Election Date:November 4, 1980
Image1:Official Portrait of President Reagan 1981-cropped.jpg
Nominee1:Ronald Reagan
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:California
Running Mate1:George H. W. Bush
Electoral Vote1:26
Popular Vote1:2,358,049
Percentage1:49.65%
Nominee2:Jimmy Carter
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:Georgia
Running Mate2:Walter Mondale
Electoral Vote2:0
Popular Vote2:1,981,413
Percentage2:41.72%
Image3:John B. Anderson in New Jersey (cropped).jpg
Nominee3:John B. Anderson
Party3:Independent (United States)
Home State3:Illinois
Running Mate3:Patrick Lucey
Electoral Vote3:0
Popular Vote3:346,754
Percentage3:7.30%
Map Size:350px
President
Before Election:Jimmy Carter
Before Party:Democratic Party (United States)
After Election:Ronald Reagan
After Party:Republican Party (United States)
Turnout:76.24%

The 1980 United States presidential election in Illinois took place on November 4, 1980. All 50 states and The District of Columbia, were part of the 1980 United States presidential election. State voters chose 26 electors to the Electoral College, who voted for president and vice president. Illinois voters chose between the Democratic ticket of incumbent president Jimmy Carter and vice president Walter Mondale, and the Republican ticket of Ronald Reagan and running mate George H. W. Bush, as well as the independent candidacy of John B. Anderson and running mate Patrick Lucey.

Illinois had voted Republican in the previous three presidential elections, and early analysis suggested that Reagan was a strong candidate against Carter in Dixie Southern Illinois.[1] Nonetheless, at the beginning of the campaign trail one opinion poll suggested Reagan would lose to Carter by 26%,[2] but the Republican campaign knew carrying a state which Gerald Ford had won four years ago to be essential and the state was heavily targeted by GOP campaigners.[3] By mid-September, polls were showing Illinois as very close, and Carter was hit by political conflicts in Chicago between mayor Jane F. Byrne and State Senator Richard Daley.[4]

Carter strategists did target the state in September and hoped that prospective Republican nominee John Anderson – who had run against Reagan in the Republican primary before launching his own independent presidential campaign – would take enough votes from Reagan for Carter to obtain a narrow victory.[5] Polls in mid-October[6] suggested that Illinois was "too close to call", and as election day neared, opinions fluctuated especially in the critical southern part of the state.[7]

Ultimately Illinois—the state where Reagan was born and raised, and where Anderson served as a Congressman—was carried by the Republican ticket by a 7.93% margin of victory over the Democrats.[8] Reagan won all but three counties, although Carter's 268,000-vote margin in massively populated Cook County meant Illinois nonetheless voted roughly 1.77% more Democratic than the nation at-large. Despite being Anderson's home state, the independent only won 7.30% of the popular vote in Illinois, or 346,754 votes, and he failed to carry any counties.

This would be the last time that Rock Island County voted Republican, as it has since turned sharply to the Democratic Party.

Primaries

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

Turnout

Turnout in the primary elections was 40.41%, with a total of 2,331,148 ballots cast.[9] [10] The primaries saw a cumulative increase in turnout over the previous 1976 primaries.

Turnout during the general election was 76.24%, with 4,749,721 ballots cast.[11] [10]

State-run primaries were held for the Democratic and Republican parties on March 18.[9] The Illinois primaries were viewed as significant in 1980, being viewed as the first large contest in a northern industrial state.

Democratic

Election Name:1980 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1976 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
Previous Year:1976
Next Election:1984 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
Next Year:1984
Votes For Election:179 Democratic National Convention delegates
Type:presidential
Country:Illinois
Candidate1:Jimmy Carter
Color1:E35e5e
Home State1:Georgia
Popular Vote1:780,787
Percentage1:65.01%
Delegate Count1:165
Candidate2:Ted Kennedy
Color2:4997D0
Home State2:Massachusetts
Popular Vote2:359,875
Percentage2:29.96%
Delegate Count2:14
Map Size:280px

The 1980 Illinois Democratic presidential primary was held on March 18, 1980, in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Democratic Party's statewide nomination contests ahead of the 1980 presidential election.

The popular vote was a "beauty contest". Delegates were instead selected by direct-vote in each congressional district on delegate candidates who had either pledged to support a candidate or indicated they would be uncommitted.[9] 138 delegates pledged Jimmy Carter won, while only 14 delegates pledged to Kennedy won.[9] Additionally, 13 uncommitted delegates won.[9] At the state convention in April, Carter was awarded an additional 25 delegates out of the 28 delegates selected at the convention.

1980 Democratic presidential primary

!Candidate!Votes! %!Delegates

Jimmy Carter (incumbent)780,78765.01165
Edward M. Kennedy359,87529.9614
Edmund G. Brown Jr.39,1683.260
Lyndon H. LaRouche Jr.19,1921.600
John B. Anderson (write-in)1,6430.140
Other write-ins4020.030
Uncommitted16
Totals1,201,067100179

Republican

Election Name:1980 Illinois Republican presidential primary
Country:Illinois
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1976 Illinois Republican presidential primary
Previous Year:1976
Next Election:1984 Illinois Republican presidential primary
Next Year:1984
Candidate1:Ronald Reagan
Home State1:California
Delegate Count1:52
Popular Vote1:547,355
Percentage1:48.44%
Color1:E35e5e
Candidate2:John B. Anderson
Home State2:Illinois
Delegate Count2:39
Popular Vote2:415,193
Percentage2:36.74%
Colour2:FFCC00
Candidate3:George H. W. Bush
Home State3:Texas
Delegate Count3:12
Popular Vote3:124,057
Percentage3:10.98%
Colour3:4997D0
Candidate4:Phil Crane
Home State4:Illinois
Delegate Count4:3
Popular Vote4:24,865
Percentage4:2.20%
Colour4:00FF00
Map Size:100px

The 1980 Illinois Republican presidential primary was held on March 18, 1980, in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Republican Party's statewide nomination contests ahead of the 1980 presidential election.

The primary was a so-called "blind primary" or "loophole primary". Under this format, the presidential preference vote was a “beauty contest”. Delegates were not selected based upon the preference vote for president, but rather directly voted upon by voters in each congressional district.[12] Additionally, the presidential preferences of each delegate candidate was not listed on the ballot.[12]

This primary saw a larger-than-usual turnout for an Illinois Republican primary, with more than a 400,000 vote increase over the 1976 Republican primary.[12] This was attributed to both the appeal of Anderson and Reagan to independents as well crossover voting by Democrats who opted against voting in the Democratic primary due to it lacking a close race.[12]

In both the state's popular vote and delegate count, Ronald Reagan placed first, respectively followed by John B. Anderson, George Bush, and Phil Crane.[9] [12]

Three of the candidates had Illinois connections. Ronald Reagan was born in the state, while John B. Anderson and Phil Crane were both incumbent congressmen from the state.[9] While John B. Anderson failed to win his home state, he performed strongly in certain areas of the state, particularly in the suburbs of Chicago.[12] Phil Crane's securing of three delegates came despite him having already dropped-out of the race before the Illinois primary.[12]

1980 Republican presidential primary!Candidate!Votes!%!Delegates
Ronald Reagan547,35548.4440
John B. Anderson415,19336.7434
George Bush124,05710.9810
24,8652.203
7,0510.620
4,5480.400
V. A. Kelley3,7570.330
1,8430.160
Gerald Ford (write-in)1,1060.100
Other write-ins3060.030
Totals1,130,08110087

Results

CandidateRunning matePartyElectoral votePopular vote
CountPercentage
Ronald ReaganGeorge H. W. BushRepublican262,358,04949.65%
Jimmy Carter (incumbent)Walter Mondale (incumbent)Democratic01,981,41341.72%
John B. AndersonPatrick LuceyIndependent0346,7547.30%
Edward E. ClarkDavid KochLibertarian038,9390.82%
Barry CommonerLaDonna HarrisCitizens010,6920.23%
Gus HallAngela DavisCommunist09,7110.20%
Deirdre GriswoldLarry HolmesWorkers World02,2570.05%
Clifton DeBerryMatilde ZimmermannSocialist Workers01,3020.03%
Write-ins06040.01%

Results by county

County[13] Ronald Reagan
Republican
Jimmy Carter
Democratic
John B. Anderson
Independent
Ed Clark
Libertarian
Various candidates
Other parties
MarginTotal votes cast
%%%%%%
Adams19,84262.17%10,60633.23%1,2023.77%2060.65%610.19%9,23628.94%31,917
Alexander2,65046.67%2,92551.51%741.30%170.30%120.21%-275-4.84%5,678
Bond4,39858.39%2,83437.63%2443.24%400.53%160.21%1,56420.76%7,532
Boone6,69757.66%3,17527.34%1,57813.59%1451.25%190.16%3,52230.32%11,614
Brown1,66061.66%95035.29%592.19%190.71%40.15%71026.37%2,692
Bureau11,48461.79%5,75330.95%1,0935.88%2221.19%350.19%5,73130.84%18,587
Calhoun1,59154.96%1,20841.73%762.63%100.35%100.35%38313.23%2,895
Carroll5,08463.37%2,15426.85%7058.79%610.76%190.24%2,93036.52%8,023
Cass3,96558.57%2,54337.56%1992.94%550.81%80.12%1,42221.01%6,770
Champaign33,32950.99%21,01732.16%9,97215.26%5900.90%4520.69%12,31218.83%65,360
Christian8,77054.69%6,62541.31%4993.11%1170.73%250.16%2,14513.38%16,036
Clark5,47663.19%2,85532.94%2432.80%810.93%110.13%2,62130.25%8,666
Clay4,44761.20%2,58735.60%1872.57%350.48%100.14%1,86025.60%7,266
Clinton8,50062.53%4,47032.88%5283.88%710.52%240.18%4,03029.65%13,593
Coles11,99458.02%6,74332.62%1,7268.35%1420.69%660.32%5,25125.40%20,671
Cook856,57439.60%1,124,58451.99%149,7126.92%15,3540.71%16,8730.78%-268,010-12.39%2,163,097
Crawford5,89460.70%3,37234.73%3413.51%960.99%70.07%2,52225.97%9,710
Cumberland3,15959.73%1,89235.77%1903.59%430.81%50.09%1,26723.96%5,289
DeKalb16,37053.91%8,91329.35%4,52614.91%3571.18%1990.66%7,45724.56%30,365
DeWitt4,64863.29%2,26230.80%3685.01%580.79%80.11%2,38632.49%7,344
Douglas5,33064.26%2,56430.91%3444.15%440.53%120.14%2,76633.35%8,294
DuPage182,30864.02%68,99124.23%29,81010.47%2,9771.05%6630.23%113,31739.79%284,749
Edgar6,63963.14%3,39432.28%4003.80%680.65%140.13%3,24530.86%10,515
Edwards2,55668.14%1,04127.75%1183.15%340.91%20.05%1,51540.39%3,751
Effingham9,10465.93%4,22930.63%3932.85%620.45%200.14%4,87535.30%13,808
Fayette6,52362.67%3,61434.72%2292.20%380.37%40.04%2,90927.95%10,408
Ford5,02469.64%1,80324.99%3284.55%500.69%90.12%3,22144.65%7,214
Franklin9,73149.01%9,42547.47%5582.81%1040.52%380.19%3061.54%19,856
Fulton10,31654.42%7,48139.46%8384.42%2941.55%280.15%2,83514.96%18,957
Gallatin1,70049.05%1,67848.41%782.25%50.14%50.14%220.64%3,466
Greene4,22459.33%2,60736.62%2203.09%580.81%110.15%1,61722.71%7,120
Grundy8,39763.59%3,97030.07%7015.31%1100.83%260.20%4,42733.52%13,204
Hamilton3,25459.64%1,99036.47%1713.13%380.70%30.05%1,26423.17%5,456
Hancock6,59762.32%3,52233.27%3833.62%680.64%150.14%3,07529.05%10,585
Hardin1,72155.27%1,31442.20%561.80%130.42%100.32%40713.07%3,114
Henderson2,44357.54%1,60937.89%1433.37%431.01%80.19%83419.65%4,246
Henry14,50659.93%7,97732.95%1,4405.95%2260.93%570.24%6,52926.98%24,206
Iroquois11,24773.38%3,36221.94%5923.86%1010.66%250.16%7,88551.44%15,327
Jackson10,50544.08%10,29143.19%2,52610.60%1920.81%3151.32%2140.89%23,829
Jasper3,54863.22%1,84632.89%1572.80%510.91%100.18%1,70230.33%5,612
Jefferson8,97254.91%6,76141.38%5063.10%770.47%240.15%2,21113.53%16,340
Jersey5,26658.61%3,32436.99%3143.49%590.66%220.24%1,94221.62%8,985
Jo Daviess5,18657.81%2,67829.85%98310.96%921.03%320.36%2,50827.96%8,971
Johnson3,20165.49%1,58632.45%841.72%150.31%20.04%1,61533.04%4,888
Kane64,10661.77%29,01527.96%9,1798.84%1,1911.15%2930.28%35,09133.81%103,784
Kankakee23,81058.25%14,62635.78%1,8024.41%2800.69%3550.87%9,18422.47%40,873
Kendall10,02869.99%3,14321.94%9796.83%1461.02%310.22%6,88548.05%14,327
Knox14,90756.90%8,74933.40%2,0697.90%3821.46%910.35%6,15823.50%26,198
Lake96,35058.45%48,28729.29%17,72610.75%1,9051.16%5850.35%48,06329.16%164,853
LaSalle27,32357.12%16,81835.16%3,0416.36%5181.08%1350.28%10,50521.96%47,835
Lawrence4,45356.68%3,03038.57%2933.73%700.89%100.13%1,42318.11%7,856
Lee11,37373.67%3,17020.53%7815.06%970.63%170.11%8,20353.14%15,438
Livingston11,54468.62%4,11124.44%9805.83%1580.94%300.18%7,43344.18%16,823
Logan9,68167.39%3,91627.26%6504.52%1060.74%130.09%5,76540.13%14,366
Macon28,29852.45%22,32541.38%2,8045.20%3920.73%1370.25%5,97311.07%53,956
Macoupin12,13154.27%9,11640.78%9014.03%1550.69%510.23%3,01513.49%22,354
Madison51,16051.10%43,86043.81%4,2064.20%6170.62%2810.28%7,3007.29%100,124
Marion10,96958.73%6,99037.42%5673.04%900.48%620.33%3,97921.31%18,678
Marshall4,34964.80%1,90328.36%3365.01%1151.71%80.12%2,44636.44%6,711
Mason4,64460.37%2,68034.84%2673.47%951.23%70.09%1,96425.53%7,693
Massac4,28458.91%2,82138.79%1241.71%290.40%140.19%1,46320.12%7,272
McDonough8,99561.66%4,09328.06%1,2308.43%1551.06%1160.80%4,90233.60%14,589
McHenry40,04564.95%14,54023.58%5,8719.52%8841.43%3150.51%25,50541.37%61,655
McLean30,09661.13%13,58727.60%4,96110.08%4430.90%1450.29%16,50933.53%49,232
Menard3,62265.45%1,58928.71%2744.95%380.69%110.20%2,03336.74%5,534
Mercer5,14456.18%3,36136.71%5405.90%1001.09%110.12%1,78319.47%9,156
Monroe6,31563.63%3,12131.45%4054.08%550.55%280.28%3,19432.18%9,924
Montgomery8,94758.04%5,72137.11%6113.96%1020.66%340.22%3,22620.93%15,415
Morgan10,40661.22%5,48332.26%9005.30%1590.94%490.29%4,92328.96%16,997
Moultrie3,49556.73%2,33237.85%2804.54%450.73%90.15%1,16318.88%6,161
Ogle12,53366.41%4,06721.55%2,04210.82%1800.95%490.26%8,46644.86%18,871
Peoria47,81557.26%28,27633.86%6,1697.39%1,0651.28%1850.22%19,53923.40%83,510
Perry5,88855.49%4,33740.88%3193.01%550.52%110.10%1,55114.61%10,610
Piatt4,86762.25%2,42130.97%4475.72%640.82%190.24%2,44631.28%7,818
Pike5,30156.63%3,69539.47%3033.24%530.57%90.10%1,60617.16%9,361
Pope1,50161.14%88035.85%582.36%100.41%60.24%62125.29%2,455
Pulaski2,08350.82%1,95547.69%491.20%90.22%30.07%1283.13%4,099
Putnam1,95957.38%1,15833.92%2356.88%511.49%110.32%80123.46%3,414
Randolph8,81056.86%6,05239.06%5143.32%890.57%290.19%2,75817.80%15,494
Richland5,24164.50%2,46330.31%3584.41%570.70%70.09%2,77834.19%8,126
Rock Island34,78848.47%30,04541.86%5,8188.11%6180.86%5060.70%4,7436.61%71,775
Saline7,15753.95%5,68342.84%3212.42%590.44%450.34%1,47411.11%13,265
Sangamon49,37257.95%29,35434.45%5,4396.38%5920.69%4430.52%20,01823.50%85,200
Schuyler2,79962.76%1,44532.40%1553.48%571.28%40.09%1,35430.36%4,460
Scott1,99065.42%94130.93%802.63%240.79%70.23%1,04934.49%3,042
Shelby6,44159.12%3,98836.61%3813.50%740.68%100.09%2,45322.51%10,894
St. Clair46,06345.76%50,04649.71%3,8793.85%4470.44%2380.24%-3,983-3.95%100,673
Stark2,35869.76%80623.85%1474.35%641.89%50.15%1,55245.91%3,380
Stephenson10,77952.87%6,19530.39%3,14515.43%2341.15%350.17%4,58422.48%20,388
Tazewell35,48162.84%16,92429.97%3,2065.68%7891.40%620.11%18,55732.87%56,462
Union4,28950.81%3,78144.79%2913.45%530.63%270.32%5086.02%8,441
Vermilion22,57957.07%14,49836.64%2,1105.33%3030.77%770.19%8,08120.43%39,567
Wabash3,57161.18%1,97533.84%2303.94%510.87%100.17%1,59627.34%5,837
Warren5,66762.47%2,75630.38%4895.39%931.03%660.73%2,91132.09%9,071
Washington5,35468.98%2,15827.80%2052.64%290.37%160.21%3,19641.18%7,762
Wayne6,01362.92%3,25834.09%2222.32%530.55%110.12%2,75528.83%9,557
White5,27958.19%3,46338.17%2743.02%410.45%150.17%1,81620.02%9,072
Whiteside17,38966.72%7,19127.59%1,2424.77%2020.78%400.15%10,19839.13%26,064
Will69,31057.44%41,97534.79%7,8556.51%1,2401.03%2780.23%27,33522.65%120,658
Williamson14,45155.10%10,77941.10%7933.02%1380.53%670.26%3,67214.00%26,228
Winnebago48,82546.46%32,38430.82%22,59621.50%1,0891.04%1950.19%16,44115.64%105,089
Woodford10,79170.68%3,55223.26%7114.66%1911.25%230.15%7,23947.42%15,268
Totals2,358,04949.65%1,981,41341.72%346,7547.30%38,9390.82%24,5660.52%376,6367.93%4,749,721

Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican

See also

Notes and References

  1. Cattani, Richard J.; 'Is defeat probable for GOP if Reagan wins nomination?'; The Christian Science Monitor; March 5, 1980
  2. Shirley, Craig; Rendezvous with Destiny: Ronald Reagan and the Campaign That Changed America, pp. 100, 207
  3. Sperling, Godfrey jr; 'How Reagan plans to beat Carter in November; "Northeast strategy" targets Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, banks on big "blue collar" vote'; Christian Science Monitor; July 16, 1980
  4. Smith, Hedrick; 'Reagan Given an Edge in "Big 9" Battleground States: Vital, Once Again The Anderson Factor'; The New York Times, September 14, 1980, p. 32
  5. Smith, Hedrick; 'Carter Hopes for Victory in Illinois As Anderson Draws G.O.P. Voters: Inroads by Anderson Carter Strategists Hope for Victory in Illinois as Anderson Draws Votes From Reagan President's Headaches in State'; The New York Times; September 21, 1980, p. 1
  6. Smith, Hedrick; 'Poll Finds Illinois Too Close to Call; Both Camps Note Gains by Carter'; The New York Times, October 14, 1980, p. A1
  7. Healy, Robert L. 'Ohio, Mich, and Illinois may decide the election'; The Boston Globe, November 1, 1980, p. 1
  8. Web site: 1980 Presidential General Election Results – Illinois. May 17, 2015. Dave Leip's U.S. Election Atlas.
  9. Web site: OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 18, 1980 . www.elections.il.gov . Illinois State Board of Elections . 24 June 2020 .
  10. Web site: OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 4, 1986 . www.elections.il.gov . Illinois State Board of Elections . 10 April 2020 .
  11. Web site: OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 4, 1980 . www.elections.il.gov . Illinois State Board of Elections . 24 June 2020 .
  12. News: Everson . David H. . Parker . Joan A. . Illinois' 1980 presidential primary: an assessment . 24 June 2020 . Illinois Issues . August 1980.
  13. Our Campaigns; IL US President, November 04, 1980