| Election Name: | 1990 Illinois gubernatorial election |
| Country: | Illinois |
| Type: | presidential |
| Ongoing: | no |
| Previous Election: | 1986 Illinois gubernatorial election |
| Previous Year: | 1986 |
| Next Election: | 1994 Illinois gubernatorial election |
| Next Year: | 1994 |
| Election Date: | November 6, 1990 |
| Image1: | File:Secretary of State Jim Edgar (1989-1999 Illinois Blue Book Portrait).jpg |
| Nominee1: | Jim Edgar |
| Running Mate1: | Bob Kustra |
| Party1: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Popular Vote1: | 1,653,126 |
| Percentage1: | 50.75% |
| Nominee2: | Neil Hartigan |
| Party2: | Democratic Party (United States) |
| Running Mate2: | Jim Burns |
| Popular Vote2: | 1,569,217 |
| Percentage2: | 48.17% |
| Map Size: | x300px |
| Governor | |
| Before Election: | James R. Thompson |
| Before Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| After Election: | Jim Edgar |
| After Party: | Republican Party (United States) |
| Turnout: | 54.00% 1.63 pp |
The 1990 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on November 6, 1990 to elect the governor and lieutenant governor of Illinois. The incumbent Governor Jim Thompson chose to retire instead of seeking reelection to a fifth term. The Republican nominee, Secretary of State Jim Edgar, narrowly defeated the Democratic nominee, Attorney General Neil Hartigan, by about 80,000 votes out of the over 3.2 million cast (a margin of 2.58%).
This was the first open-seat gubernatorial election in Illinois since 1952, which was 38 years previously. A competitive race, it had the narrowest margin of victory for a statewide election in Illinois that cycle and was among one of the closest gubernatorial races in the nation that year.
The primaries and general elections coincided with those for federal elections (Senate and House), as well as those for other state offices. The election was part of the 1990 Illinois elections.
For the primaries, turnout for the gubernatorial primaries was 26.11%, with 1,570,596 votes cast and turnout for the lieutenant gubernatorial primaries was 21.67% with 1,303,250 votes cast.[1] For the general election, turnout was 54.00%, with 3,257,410 votes cast.[2]
Illinois Attorney General Neil Hartigan won the Democratic gubernatorial nomination, running unopposed.
James B. Burns, future attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, won the Democratic nomination, running unopposed.
Illinois Secretary of State Jim Edgar defeated investor and political activist Steve Baer, as well as perennial candidate Robert Marshall.
Illinois State Senator Bob Kustra won the Republican primary for lieutenant governor.
Only 13 votes were cast in the primary, all write in votes for Jeff W. Smith. The party, nevertheless, ultimately nominated Jessie Fields.