1936 Illinois elections

In the primaries, 2,674,613 ballots were cast (1,597,418 Democratic and 1,077,195 Republican).[1]

In the general election, 3,995,088 ballots were cast.[1]

Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket of Franklin D. Roosevelt and John Nance Garner.

Democrat J. Hamilton Lewis won reelection to a second consecutive, and third overall, term in the United States Senate.

All 27 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1936.

No seats switched parties. The partisan makeup of the state's United States House of Representatives delegation remained 21 Democrats and 6 Republicans.

1936 Illinois gubernatorial election

November 3, 1936

Nominee Henry Horner C. Wayland Brooks Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,067,861 1,682,685 Percentage 53.13% 43.24%

County Results Horner:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70% Brooks:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election Henry Horner Democratic Elected Governor Henry Horner Democratic

Incumbent first-term governor Henry Horner, a Democrat, won reelection.

The Chicago political machine unsuccessfully ran Chicago Board of Health president Herman Bundesen against the incumbent Henry Horner in retribution for Horner having vetoed a bill that would have allowed bookies to legally operate, a bill favored by Chicago political bosses such as Edward J. Kelly.[2]

• Herman Bundesen, Chicago Board of Health president and Chicago health commissioner, former Cook County coroner[2]
• Henry Horner, incumbent governor
• James Fred Robertson, 1934 U.S. congress candidate and 1935 Chicago mayoral candidate[3]

• C. Wayland Brooks
• Oscar E. Carlstrom, former Illinois attorney general
• George W. Dowell, Progressive nominee for Illinois's 25th congressional district in 1914[4][5]
• Thomas P. Gunning, Illinois state senator
• J. Paul Kuhn
• John G. Oglesby, former lieutenant governor of Illinois (publicly withdrew before primary)[1]
• Len Small, former governor of Illinois

Challenging both Democratic nominee Henry Horner and Republican nominee Charles W. Brooks, Republican former Chicago mayor William Hale Thompson ran on the Union Progressive Party of Illinois' ballot line. There were also several other minor candidates.

1936 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election

November 3, 1936

Nominee John Henry Stelle George Hatzenbuhler Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,103,226 1,539,342 Percentage 56.17% 41.11%

Lieutenant Governor before election Thomas Donovan Democratic Elected Lieutenant Governor John Henry Stelle Democratic

Incumbent first-term lieutenant governor Thomas Donovan, a Democrat, did not seek reelection. Democrat John Henry Stelle was elected to succeed him.

• John Edward Cassidy, attorney
• Isaac Epstein
• John Henry Stelle, Illinois treasurer
• John L. McCormack

• John V. Clinnin
• Harry F. Hamlin
• George Hatzenbuhler
• James A. McCallum
• Theodore D. Smith
• A. Lincoln Wisler

1936 Illinois Attorney General election

November 3, 1936

Nominee Otto Kerner Sr. Charles W. Hadley Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,116,673 1,531,842 Percentage 56.47% 40.87%

Attorney General before election Otto Kerner Sr. Democratic Elected Attorney General Otto Kerner Sr. Democratic

Incumbent first-term Attorney General Otto Kerner Sr., a Democrat, was reelected.

No candidates ran in the Republican primary. The party ultimately nominated Charles W. Hadley, who had been the distant runner-up in the Democratic primary.[1]

1936 Illinois Secretary of State election

November 3, 1936

Nominee Edward J. Hughes William J. Stratton Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,120,071 1,576,939 Percentage 55.95% 41.62%

Secretary of State before election Edward J. Hughes Democratic Elected Secretary of State Edward J. Hughes Democratic

Incumbent first-term Democratic Secretary of State Edward J. Hughes, a Democrat, was reelected.

Hughes faced Republican former secretary of state William J. Stratton in a rematch of the 1932 race.

1936 Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts election

November 3, 1936

Nominee Edward J. Barrett Arthur J. Bidwill Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,107,911 1,561,920 Percentage 56.06% 41.54%

Auditor of Public Accounts before election Edward J. Barrett Democratic Elected Auditor of Public Accounts Edward J. Barrett Democratic

Incumbent first-term Auditor of Public Accounts Edward J. Barrett, a Democrat, was reelected.

State senator Arthur J. Bidwill won the Republican nomination, defeating, among others, fellow state senator Earle Benjamin Searcy.

1936 Illinois State Treasurer election

November 3, 1936

Nominee John C. Martin Clarence F. Buck Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,090,130 1,561,124 Percentage 55.86% 41.72%

Treasurer before election John Henry Stelle Democratic Elected Treasurer John C. Martin Democratic

Incumbent first-term Treasurer John Henry Stelle, a Democrat, did not seek reelection, instead running for lieutenant governor. Democrat John C. Martin was elected to succeed him in office, granting Martin a second nonconsecutive term as Illinois Treasurer.

Former Illinois Treasurer, John C. Martin, won the Democratic primary.

Former Illinois state senator Clarence F. Buck won the Republican nomination defeating businessman Anton J. Johnson, former U.S. congressman and former Illinois Treasurer Edward E. Miller, among others.

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1940. Democrats retained control of the chamber.

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1940. Democrats retained control of the chamber. Cumulative voting and 59 three-seat districts were used in this election. Member(s) of both of the two main parties were elected in each district.

An election was held for three of the nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois to six year terms.[1][6] Democrats swept all three seats.[1][6]

All three incumbents whose terms were expiring (second-term Republican George A. Barr, first-term Republican Edward E. Barrett, and first-term Democrat Walter W. Winslow) were not nominated for reelection.[1][6]

New Democratic members Homer Mat Adams, James Mansfield Cleary, and Louis C. Moschel were elected.[1][6]

One seat on the Illinois Supreme Court had an election on June 1, 1936.

Republican Clyde E. Stone was reelected.

Several special elections were held November 3, 1936 for the Illinois Circuit Courts.

Robert J. Dunne was defeated John F. Tyrrell (1,157,312 votes to 709,625 votes) in a nonpartisan race to fill the vacancy left on the Circuit Court of Cook County by the resignation of fellow Democrat Francis S. Wilson.[1]

Democratic nominee Grendel F. Bennett defeated Republican nominee V. W. McIntire (50,216 votes to 42,026 votes) to fill the 5th district vacancy left by the resignation of Craig Van Meter.[1]

Democratic nominee Horace H. Baker defeated Republican nominee Lester H. Martin (43,987 votes to 43,877 votes) to fill the 11th district vacancy left by death of Peter Murphy.[1]

Democratic nominee Francis J. Coyle defeated Republican nominee Albert M. Crampton (51,609 votes to 50,163 votes) to fill the 14th district vacancy left by death of J. Paul Califf.[1]

Despite dying before the election, Republican nominee William J. Emerson defeated Democratic nominee James B. Sheean (38,712 votes to 30,184 votes) to fill the 15th district vacancy left by death of Frank T. Sheean.[1]