1960 Illinois elections

In the primaries, turnout was 40.92%, with 2,082,667 ballots cast (1,171,488 Democratic and 911,179 Republican).[1][2][3]

In the general election, turnout was 88.11%, with 4,845,319 ballots cast.[1][3]

Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket of John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Democratic Senator Paul Douglas was reelected to a third term.

All 25 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1960.

No seats switched parties, leaving Illinois' House delegation to consist of 14 Democrats and 11 Republicans.

1960 Illinois gubernatorial election

November 8, 1960
Turnout	84.99%[3][4]
Nominee Otto Kerner Jr. William Stratton Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,418,394 2,239,095 Percentage 51.9% 48.1%
Governor before election William Stratton Republican Elected Governor Otto Kerner Jr. Democratic

Incumbent Governor William Stratton, a Republican seeking a third term, lost reelection to Democrat Otto Kerner Jr.

1960 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election

November 8, 1960
Turnout	83.10%[3][4]
Nominee Samuel H. Shapiro John William Chapman Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,398,746 2,162,643 Percentage 52.49% 47.32%
Lieutenant Governor before election John William Chapman Republican Elected Lieutenant Governor Samuel H. Shapiro Democratic

Incumbent Lieutenant Governor John William Chapman, a Republican seeking a third term, lost reelection to Democrat Samuel H. Shapiro.

1960 Illinois Attorney General election

November 8, 1960
Turnout	82.80%[3][4]
Nominee William G. Clark William L. Guild Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,354,886 2,190,251 Percentage 51.72% 48.10%
Attorney General before election William L. Guild Republican Elected Attorney General William G. Clark Democratic

Incumbent Attorney General William L. Guild (a Republican appointed in 1960 after the death in office of Grenville Beardsley) lost to Democrat William G. Clark.

Originally, before his death, Grenville Beardsley (himself a Republican that had been appointed in 1959 after Latham Castle resigned to assume a judgeship) had been seeking reelection, having won the Republican primary.

1960 Illinois Secretary of State election

November 8, 1960
Turnout	84.26%[3][4]
Nominee Charles F. Carpentier James R. McLaughlin Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,505,255 2,120,339 Percentage 54.06% 45.76%
Secretary of State before election Charles F. Carpentier Republican Elected Secretary of State Charles F. Carpentier Republican

Incumbent Secretary of State Charles F. Carpentier, a Republican, was reelected to a third term.

1960 Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts election

November 8, 1960
Turnout	82.79%[3][4]
Nominee Michael Howlett Elbert S. Smith Party Democratic Republican Popular vote 2,296,220 2,246,833 Percentage 50.44% 49.35
Auditor of Public Accounts before election Elbert S. Smith Republican Elected Auditor of Public Accounts Michael Howlett Democratic

Incumbent Auditor of Public Accounts Elbert S. Smith, a Republican seeking a second term, lost to Democrat Michael Howlett.

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1960. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1960. Republicans flipped control of the chamber.

An election was held for three seats as Trustees of University of Illinois.[4] All three Democratic nominees won.[4]

Democratic incumbent Kenney E. Williamson, first appointed in 1940, won reelection to a third full (fourth overall) term.[5] Democratic incumbent Frances Best Watkins won reelection to a third term.[5] They were joined in winning election by fellow Democrat Irving Dillard.[4][5]

Incumbent Democrat George Herrick was not nominated for reelection.[5]

Judicial elections were held in 1960.

On April 12, a special election was held to fill a vacancy on the Eleventh Judicial Circuit.[2]

Two ballot measures, both of them bond issues, were put before Illinois voters in 1960.

Bond measures needed an affirmative vote equal to majority of the votes cast for whichever chamber of the Illinois General Assembly had the highest cumulative vote count.[4] Since, in 1960, the highest legislative vote was 4,525,191, the vote count needed to be reached was at least 2,262,596 affirmative votes.[4] The vote also needed a majority of votes cast on each measure to be affirmative.

Voters approved the Bond Issue for Education, which issued bonds to support improvements in education.[6]

Voters approved the Bond Issue for Mental Health, which would issue bonds to support improvements mental health and public welfare.[7]