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Political party strength in Illinois

Politics in the US state of Illinois From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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Illinois is a Democratic stronghold in presidential elections and one of the "Big Three" Democratic strongholds alongside California and New York. It is one of the most Democratic states in the nation with all state executive offices and both state legislative branches held by Democrats.[1][2] For most of its history, Illinois was widely considered to be a swing state, voting for the winner of all but two presidential elections in the 20th century. Political party strength in Illinois is highly dependent upon Cook County, and the state's reputation as a blue state rests upon the fact that over 40% of its population and political power is concentrated in Chicago, Cook County, and the Chicago metropolitan area. Outside of Chicago, the suburban collar counties continue trending Democratic[3] while downstate Illinois can be considered more conservative with several Democratic leaning regions including Champaign-Urbana, Bloomington-Normal, Rockford, Peoria, the Quad Cities, and suburban St. Louis.[4]

Illinois's electoral college votes have gone towards the Democratic presidential candidate for the past eight elections, and its congressional makeup tilts heavily Democratic with a 14-3 majority as of 2025. However, it has a history of competitive statewide elections and has elected a small number of moderate Republicans including Governors Jim Edgar, George Ryan, and Bruce Rauner, Senators Peter Fitzgerald and Mark Kirk, and other state executive officeholders including Judy Baar Topinka and Dan Rutherford.

The following table indicates the party of elected officials in the U.S. state of Illinois:

The table also indicates the historical party composition in the:

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Table

More information Year, Executive offices ...
Key to party colors and abbreviations for members of the U.S. Congress and other politicians or officials
Alaskan Independence (AKIP)
Know Nothing (KN)
American Labor (AL)
Anti-Jacksonian (Anti-J)
National Republican (NR)
Anti-Administration (AA)
Anti-Masonic (Anti-M)
Conservative (Con)
Covenant (Cov)
Democratic (D)
Democratic–Farmer–Labor (DFL)
Democratic–NPL (D-NPL)
Dixiecrat (Dix),
States' Rights (SR)
Democratic-Republican (DR)
Farmer–Labor (FL)
Federalist (F)
Pro-Administration (PA)
Free Soil (FS)
Fusion (Fus)
Greenback (GB)
Independence (IPM)
Independent Democrat (ID)
Independent Republican (IR)
Jacksonian (J)
Liberal (Lib)
Libertarian (L)
National Union (NU)
Nonpartisan League (NPL)
Nullifier (N)
Opposition Northern (O)
Opposition Southern (O)
Populist (Pop)
Progressive (Prog)
Prohibition (Proh)
Readjuster (Rea)
Republican (R)
Silver (Sv)
Silver Republican (SvR)
Socialist (Soc)
Union (U)
Unconditional Union (UU)
Vermont Progressive (VP)
Whig (W)
Independent (I)
Nonpartisan (NP)
  1. The Office of Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts existed from 1818-1973, when it was eliminated by the 1970 Constitution and replaced with the office of Comptroller. George W. Lindberg was the first Illinois Comptroller
  2. Territorial governor appointed by the President of the United States.
  3. Delegate to the U.S. House of Representatives from Illinois Territory.
  4. Andrew Jackson received two of Illinois's three electoral votes for President while John Quincy Adams received one. John C. Calhoun won all three electoral votes for Vice President.
  5. Resigned following election to United States House of Representatives.
  6. As acting lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
  7. Resigned.
  8. Lt. Gov. Stinson Anderson provided the tie-breaking vote to allow the Democrats to organize and run the chamber.
  9. Elected a Democrat, William Lee D. Ewing, as a minority-party Speaker.
  10. An Anti-Nebraska Democrat, Thomas J. Turner, was elected in coalition with the Whigs to be a minority-party Speaker.
  11. Died in office.
  12. As lieutenant governor, filled unexpired term.
  13. Resigned so that Lieutenant Governor John Lourie Beveridge, acting as governor, would appoint him to the United States Senate.
  14. Due to the ascension of Lt. Gov. Beveridge to the Governorship after Gov. Oglesby took a U.S. Senate seat, the President Pro Tempore elected by the Senate, John Early, became acting Lt. Governor.[5]
  15. A coalition of Democrats and Independents organized the Senate, and chose Archibald A. Glenn, a Democrat, to be President Pro Tempore. Due to the vacancy in the Lt. Governorship from John Beveridge ascending to be Governor in 1873, Glenn also became acting Lt. Governor.[5]
  16. A coalition of Democrats and Independents organized the House, and chose Elijah Haines, a Independent, to be Speaker.[5]
  17. Resigned to take an elected seat in the United States Senate.
  18. A coalition of Democrats and Independents organized the Senate, and chose Fawcett Plumb, an Independent tied to the Farmers' Association, to be President Pro Tempore.[5]
  19. The Independent, Elijah Haines, was elected Speaker with Democratic support, giving them control.
  20. With the support of the Progressive members, the Democrats named the President Pro Tempore and controlled the chamber.
  21. After 76 ballots, a Democrat, William B. McKinley, was elected Speaker with Republican votes.[6]
  22. With the support of the Progressive member, the Democrats named the President Pro Tempore and controlled the chamber.
  23. Resigned to take seat on the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit.
  24. Appointed to fill a vacancy.
  25. Removed from Office upon tax fraud conviction.[7]
  26. With a Democratic Lt. Governor, the Democrats retained the Senate majority and the Senate Presidency.
  27. The Independent, Taylor Pouncey, caucused with the Democrats, giving them the votes to control the Speakership and run the House.[8]
  28. Initially appointed to fill vacancy; later elected in his own right.
  29. Impeached and removed from office by the state legislature on corruption charges.
  30. Resigned following election as president of the United States.
  • Regarding resignations and appointments; the person who held the office for the majority of the year is listed as the office holder for that year.
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Gallery

Gallery of Illinois presidential election results
Gallery of Illinois US Senate election results
Gallery of Illinois gubernatorial election results
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See also

References

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