# 1998 Illinois gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 1998 Illinois gubernatorial election took place on November 3, 1998. Incumbent Republican Governor Jim Edgar did not run for a third term in office. Republican nominee George Ryan, the Illinois Secretary of State, narrowly won the election against Democratic Congressman Glenn Poshard.
With this election Corinne Wood became the first female lieutenant governor of the state.

## Background

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 1998 Illinois elections.
For the primaries, turnout for the gubernatorial primaries was 24.58%, with 1,658,296 votes cast and turnout for the lieutenant gubernatorial primaries was 19.76% with 1,333,446 votes cast. For the general election, turnout was 49.72%, with 3,358,705 votes cast. Due to Poshard's more conservative social positions he carried the reliably Republican downstate, while Ryan's liberal social policies led him to carry the more Democratic Chicago area.

## Democratic primaries
### Governor
#### Candidates

* Larry Burgess
* Jim Burns, former United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois (1993–1997), Democratic nominee for Lieutenant Governor of Illinois in 1990
* Roland Burris, former Attorney General of Illinois (1991-1995) and candidate for the Democratic nomination for Governor in 1994
* Maurice Horton
* Glenn Poshard, U.S. Representative (1989-1999)
* John Schmidt, former United States Associate Attorney General (1994-1997)

#### Declined

* Neil Hartigan, former Illinois Attorney General (1983–1991), former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois (1973–1977), and Democratic nominee for Governor in 1990

#### Results

Democratic gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Glenn Poshard | 357,342 | 37.60 |
| | Democratic | Roland Burris | 290,393 | 30.56 |
| | Democratic | John R. Schmidt | 236,309 | 24.87 |
| | Democratic | Jim Burns | 55,233 | 5.81 |
| | Democratic | Larry Burgess | 6,075 | 0.64 |
| | Democratic | Maurice Horton | 4,955 | 0.52 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 950,307 | 100.00 |

### Lieutenant governor
#### Candidates

* Mary Lou Kearns, Kane County Coroner
* Pat Quinn, former Treasurer of Illinois
Democratic lieutenant gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Mary Lou Kearns | 391,373 | 50.09 |
| | Democratic | Pat Quinn | 389,905 | 49.91 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 781,278 | 100 |

## Republican primaries
### Governor
#### Candidates

* George Ryan, Secretary of State of Illinois
* Chad Koppie, perennial candidate and conservative activist

#### Results

Republican gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | George Ryan | 608,940 | 86.08 |
| | Republican | Chad Koppie | 98,466 | 13.92 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 707,406 | 100.00 |

### Lieutenant governor
#### Candidates

* Corinne Wood, member of the Illinois House of Representatives

#### Results

Republican lieutenant gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Corrine G. Wood | 551,580 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 551,580 | 100 |

## Reform primary
### Governor
#### Candidates

* Lawrence Redmond

#### Results

Reform gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Reform | Lawrence Redmond | 583 | 100.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 583 | 100.00 |

### Lieutenant governor
#### Candidates

* Phyllis Nirchi

#### Results

Reform lieutenant gubernatorial primary results :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Reform | Philomena "Phyllis" Nirchi | 588 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 588 | 100 |

## General election
### Results

Illinois gubernatorial election, 1998 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | George Ryan / Corinne Wood | 1,714,094 | 51.03% | −12.85% |
| | Democratic | Glenn Poshard / Mary Lou Kearns | 1,594,191 | 47.46% | +13.02% |
| | Reform | Lawrence Redmond / Phyllis Nirchi | 50,372 | 1.50% | |
| | Write-ins | | 48 | 0.00% | |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 119,903 | 3.57% | −25.87% |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,358,705 | 49.72% | |
| | Republican hold | Republican hold | Swing | | |