1984 United States presidential election in Illinois explained

See main article: 1984 United States presidential election.

Election Name:1984 United States presidential election in Illinois
Country:Illinois
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1980 United States presidential election in Illinois
Previous Year:1980
Next Election:1988 United States presidential election in Illinois
Next Year:1988
Election Date:November 6, 1984
Image1:Ronald Reagan 1985 presidential portrait (cropped).jpg
Nominee1:Ronald Reagan
Party1:Republican Party (United States)
Home State1:California
Running Mate1:George H. W. Bush
Electoral Vote1:24
Popular Vote1:2,707,103
Percentage1:56.17%
Nominee2:Walter Mondale
Party2:Democratic Party (United States)
Home State2:Minnesota
Running Mate2:Geraldine Ferraro
Electoral Vote2:0
Popular Vote2:2,086,499
Percentage2:43.30%
Map Size:350px
President
Before Election:Ronald Reagan
Before Party:Republican Party (United States)
After Election:Ronald Reagan
After Party:Republican Party (United States)
Turnout:74.48%

The 1984 United States presidential election in Illinois took place on November 6, 1984. All 50 states and the District of Columbia, were part of the 1984 United States presidential election. State voters chose 24 electors to the Electoral College, which selected the president and vice president of the United States.

Illinois gave its electoral votes to incumbent United States President Ronald Reagan of California, who was running against former Vice President Walter Mondale of Minnesota. Reagan ran for a second time with Vice-President George H. W. Bush of Texas, and Mondale ran with Representative Geraldine Ferraro of New York, the first major female candidate for the vice presidency. Reagan, who was born and raised in Illinois, had moved to California as a young man.

As of 2020, this is the last time a Republican presidential candidate won over 1 million votes in Cook County, the state's most populous county and home to Chicago. The presidential election of 1984 was a very partisan election for Illinois, with over 99% of the electorate voting only either for Democratic candidate Mondale or Republican candidate Reagan, though several other parties did appear on the presidential ballot in the State.[1] Nearly every county in Illinois voted in majority for Reagan. One notable exception to this trend was Chicago's highly populated Cook County, which voted in majority for Mondale, albeit with a 2.6% margin, or 51% to 48.4%. Likewise, 1984 marks the last time any presidential candidate won Cook County with a single-digit margin, and the last election that a Republican won over a million votes in that county. Fulton, Henderson, Knox, Mercer, and Putnam Counties would not vote Republican again until 2016.

Illinois weighed in for this election as 4 percentage points more Democratic than the national average., this is the last election in which Jackson County voted for a Republican presidential candidate.[2] Reagan won the election in Illinois with a decisive 13-point landslide, carrying 96 out of 102 counties. No Republican candidate has received as strong support in the American Great Lakes States, at large, post-Reagan. While Illinois typically voted conservative at the time, the election results in Illinois also reflect a nationwide reconsolidation of base for the Republican Party which took place through the 1980s; Reagan called it the "second American Revolution."[3] This was most evident during the 1984 presidential election. Notably, this is the closest to date that a Republican has come to carrying Cook County, home to Chicago, since Richard Nixon won it in 1972. Mondale took 51% of Cook County's vote to Reagan's 48.4%.

One of the electors initially gave his vote for vice president to Ferraro by accident, but fixed the mistake on a second ballot.[4]

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 state-run primary elections (Democratic and Republican) was 37.25% with a total of 2,254,503 votes cast.[5]

Turnout during the general election was 74.48%, with 4,819,088 votes cast.[6]

State-run primaries were held for the Democratic and Republican parties on March 20.[5]

Democratic

See main article: 1984 Illinois Democratic presidential primary.

Election Name:1984 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1980 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
Previous Year:1980
Next Election:1988 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
Next Year:1988
Type:presidential
Country:Illinois
Candidate1:Walter Mondale
Color1:567953
Home State1:Minnesota
Popular Vote1:670,951
Percentage1:40.43%
Candidate2:Gary Hart
Color2:a59400
Home State2:Colorado
Popular Vote2:584,579
Percentage2:35.23%
Candidate3:Jesse Jackson
Color3:73638c
Home State3:Illinois
Popular Vote3:348,843
Percentage3:21.02%
Map Size:280px

The 1984 Illinois Democratic presidential primary was held on March 20, 1984, in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Democratic Party's statewide nomination contests ahead of the 1984 presidential election.

Jackson's voters were 88% black, 10% white, and 1% were members of other groups.

1984 Illinois Democratic presidential primary! style="text-align:left;"
CandidateVotes%Delegates
Walter Frederick Mondale670,95140.43
Gary Hart584,57935.23
Jesse L. Jackson348,84321.02
25,3361.53
19,8001.19
Betty Jean Williams4,7970.29
2,7860.17
2,1820.13
Write-in1510.01
Total1,659,425100

Republican

Election Name:1984 Illinois Republican presidential primary
Country:Illinois
Type:presidential
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:1980 Illinois Republican presidential primary
Previous Year:1980
Next Election:1988 Illinois Republican presidential primary
Next Year:1988
Candidate1:Ronald Reagan
Home State1:California
Popular Vote1:594,742
Percentage1:99.94%
Color1:FF3333
Map Size:100px

See main article: 1984 Illinois Republican presidential primary. The 1984 Illinois Republican presidential primary was held on March 20, 1984, in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Republican Party's statewide nomination contests ahead of the 1984 presidential election.

1984 Illinois Republican presidential primary! style="text-align:left;"
CandidateVotes%Delegates
Ronald Reagan (incumbent)594,74299.94
Write-in3360.06
Total595,078100

Results

1984 United States presidential election in Illinois
PartyCandidateVotesPercentageElectoral votes
RepublicanRonald Reagan (incumbent)2,707,103 56.17%24
DemocraticWalter Mondale2,086,49943.30%0
LibertarianDavid Bergland10,086 0.21%0
Communist PartyGus Hall4,6720.10%0
Citizen's PartySonia Johnson2,716 0.06%0
Socialist Equality PartyEdward Winn2,632 0.05%0
New Alliance PartyDennis Serrette2,386 0.05%0
Socialist Workers PartyMelvin Mason2,1320.04%0
Write-Ins862 0.02%0
Totals4,819,088100.0%24

Results by county

CountyRonald Reagan
Republican
Walter Mondale
Democratic
Various candidates
Other parties
MarginTotal votes cast
%%%%
Adams20,22565.99%10,33633.72%880.29%9,88932.27%30,649
Alexander2,57447.08%2,87252.53%210.38%-298-5.45%5,467
Bond4,24059.46%2,87040.25%210.29%1,37019.21%7,131
Boone7,53666.65%3,71732.88%530.47%3,81933.77%11,306
Brown1,47860.43%95939.21%90.37%51921.22%2,446
Bureau11,74162.57%6,92536.90%990.53%4,81625.67%18,765
Calhoun1,64853.04%1,44346.44%160.51%2056.60%3,107
Carroll5,23768.39%2,39831.31%230.30%2,83937.08%7,658
Cass3,43553.68%2,93745.90%270.42%4987.78%6,399
Champaign39,22458.61%27,26640.74%4350.65%11,95817.87%66,925
Christian8,53452.84%7,54146.69%770.48%9936.15%16,152
Clark5,31863.45%3,03236.17%320.38%2,28627.28%8,382
Clay4,56264.22%2,52435.53%180.25%2,03828.69%7,104
Clinton9,23366.43%4,62833.30%380.27%4,60533.13%13,899
Coles14,04465.95%7,15633.60%950.45%6,88832.35%21,295
Cook1,055,55848.40%1,112,64151.02%12,5360.57%-57,083-2.62%2,180,735
Crawford6,26166.44%3,13033.21%330.35%3,13133.23%9,424
Cumberland3,00263.04%1,73336.39%270.57%1,26926.65%4,762
DeKalb20,29464.50%10,94234.78%2290.73%9,35229.72%31,465
DeWitt4,53465.57%2,35234.01%290.42%2,18231.56%6,915
Douglas5,69166.14%2,88633.54%270.31%2,80532.60%8,604
DuPage227,14175.66%71,43023.79%1,6440.55%155,71151.87%300,215
Edgar6,82167.54%3,24132.09%370.37%3,58035.45%10,099
Edwards2,77872.25%1,05727.49%100.26%1,72144.76%3,845
Effingham9,61771.22%3,84128.44%460.34%5,77642.78%13,504
Fayette6,60763.09%3,84436.70%220.21%2,76326.39%10,473
Ford4,87173.11%1,76326.46%290.44%3,10846.65%6,663
Franklin9,65647.39%10,66752.35%540.27%-1,011-4.96%20,377
Fulton9,14749.77%9,13149.69%990.54%160.08%18,377
Gallatin1,93947.15%2,16452.63%90.22%-225-5.48%4,112
Greene4,05760.96%2,56338.51%350.53%1,49422.45%6,655
Grundy9,59566.98%4,67132.61%590.41%4,92434.37%14,325
Hamilton3,07457.50%2,25142.11%210.39%82315.39%5,346
Hancock6,25162.50%3,71337.13%370.37%2,53825.37%10,001
Hardin1,68958.26%1,20541.57%50.17%48416.69%2,899
Henderson2,28953.51%1,96946.03%200.47%3207.48%4,278
Henry14,50457.41%10,67942.27%790.31%3,82515.14%25,262
Iroquois11,32777.13%3,30022.47%580.39%8,02754.66%14,685
Jackson13,60952.55%12,10546.74%1820.70%1,5045.81%25,896
Jasper3,67367.35%1,75032.09%310.57%1,92335.26%5,454
Jefferson9,64257.10%7,20042.64%430.25%2,44214.46%16,885
Jersey5,14657.60%3,76242.11%260.29%1,38415.49%8,934
Jo Daviess5,87763.18%3,34835.99%770.83%2,52927.19%9,302
Johnson3,42467.36%1,64732.40%120.24%1,77734.96%5,083
Kane72,65569.09%31,87530.31%6290.60%40,78038.78%105,159
Kankakee23,80760.02%15,24638.44%6121.54%8,56121.58%39,665
Kendall10,87273.81%3,78925.72%690.47%7,08348.09%14,730
Knox14,97455.21%12,02744.34%1210.45%2,94710.87%27,122
Lake118,40168.35%53,94731.14%8760.51%64,45437.21%173,224
LaSalle27,38856.89%20,53242.65%2190.45%6,85614.24%48,139
Lawrence4,68661.35%2,92438.28%280.37%1,76223.07%7,638
Lee11,17873.76%3,91925.86%580.38%7,25947.90%15,155
Livingston12,29172.65%4,56726.99%610.36%7,72445.66%16,919
Logan9,93270.71%4,05228.85%620.44%5,88041.86%14,046
Macon30,45754.28%25,46345.38%1920.34%4,9948.90%56,112
Macoupin12,28253.51%10,60246.19%690.30%1,6807.32%22,953
Madison57,02153.94%48,35245.74%3400.32%8,6698.20%105,713
Marion11,30059.65%7,59940.11%460.24%3,70119.54%18,945
Marshall4,06062.53%2,38636.75%470.72%1,67425.78%6,493
Mason4,10954.89%3,35444.80%230.31%75510.09%7,486
Massac3,82754.29%3,19445.31%280.40%6338.98%7,049
McDonough9,38367.02%4,56132.58%570.41%4,82234.44%14,001
McHenry47,28276.21%14,42023.24%3400.55%32,86252.97%62,042
McLean32,22166.64%15,88032.84%2480.51%16,34133.80%48,349
Menard3,92568.07%1,82631.67%150.26%2,09936.40%5,766
Mercer4,90754.97%3,98244.61%380.43%92510.36%8,927
Monroe6,93667.89%3,25631.87%250.24%3,68036.02%10,217
Montgomery8,19156.08%6,36043.55%540.37%1,83112.53%14,605
Morgan10,68366.37%5,36133.30%530.33%5,32233.07%16,097
Moultrie3,59359.17%2,45840.48%210.35%1,13518.69%6,072
Ogle13,50373.40%4,80326.11%900.49%8,70047.29%18,396
Peoria45,60755.02%36,83044.43%4620.56%8,77710.59%82,899
Perry5,85255.88%4,58443.77%360.34%1,26812.11%10,472
Piatt5,00063.46%2,84036.05%390.49%2,16027.41%7,879
Pike5,29557.03%3,96542.70%250.27%1,33014.33%9,285
Pope1,54562.00%94037.72%70.28%60524.28%2,492
Pulaski1,92352.48%1,72447.05%170.46%1995.43%3,664
Putnam1,91256.02%1,48743.57%140.41%42512.45%3,413
Randolph9,41559.48%6,35540.15%590.37%3,06019.33%15,829
Richland5,66571.95%2,18227.71%270.34%3,48344.24%7,874
Rock Island35,12146.41%40,20853.13%3430.45%-5,087-6.72%75,672
Saline7,17654.15%6,03845.57%370.28%1,1388.58%13,251
Sangamon54,08661.10%34,05938.47%3780.43%20,02722.63%88,523
Schuyler2,51561.93%1,53337.75%130.32%98224.18%4,061
Scott1,97667.33%94332.13%160.55%1,03335.20%2,935
Shelby6,37259.38%4,31740.23%410.38%2,05519.15%10,730
St. Clair51,04649.01%52,29450.21%8080.78%-1,248-1.20%104,148
Stark2,22867.15%1,07232.31%180.54%1,15634.84%3,318
Stephenson14,23767.37%6,72331.82%1710.81%7,51435.55%21,131
Tazewell33,78259.15%23,09540.44%2380.42%10,68718.71%57,115
Union4,72155.13%3,81544.55%280.33%90610.58%8,564
Vermilion22,93257.89%16,53041.73%1490.38%6,40216.16%39,611
Wabash3,63966.73%1,79532.92%190.35%1,84433.81%5,453
Warren5,84663.59%3,31836.09%290.32%2,52827.50%9,193
Washington5,12968.24%2,36331.44%240.32%2,76636.80%7,516
Wayne6,29870.36%2,62129.28%320.36%3,67741.08%8,951
White5,50061.23%3,45738.48%260.29%2,04322.75%8,983
Whiteside16,74359.59%11,22639.96%1270.45%5,51719.63%28,096
Will78,68463.25%45,19336.33%5200.42%33,49126.92%124,397
Williamson14,93056.06%11,61443.61%860.32%3,31612.45%26,630
Winnebago64,20358.66%44,62940.78%6190.57%19,57417.88%109,451
Woodford10,75870.44%4,42528.97%890.58%6,33341.47%15,272
Totals2,707,10356.17%2,086,49943.30%25,4860.53%620,60412.87%4,819,088

Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic

See also

Works cited

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections. Uselectionatlas.org . 2013-11-11.
  2. Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review; June 29, 2016
  3. Web site: Reagan Wins By a Landslide, Sweeping at Least 48 States; G.O.P. Gains Strength in House . . November 7, 1984. November 11, 2013. Raines, Howell.
  4. News: December 18, 1984 . Electoral college confirms Reagan landslide . A4 . . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20240613065135/https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-news-tribune/149243653/ . June 13, 2024 . Newspapers.com.
  5. Web site: OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 20, 1984 . www.elections.il.gov . Illinois State Board of Elections . 24 April 2020 .
  6. Web site: OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 6, 1984 . www.elections.il.gov . Illinois State Board of Elections . 24 April 2020 .