# 1968 Illinois gubernatorial election

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vte :
The 1968 Illinois gubernatorial election was held in Illinois on November 5, 1968. Democratic nominee, incumbent governor Samuel H. Shapiro (who had assumed the governorship in May 1968, after Otto Kerner Jr. resigned in order to accept a judicial appointment), lost reelection to Republican nominee Richard B. Ogilvie, who was the president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and former sheriff of Cook County.

## Background

The election coincided with those for federal offices (United States President, Senate, and House) and those for other state offices. The election was part of the 1968 Illinois elections.
The primaries were held on June 11, 1968.
In the primary, turnout was 24.44% with 1,332,832 votes cast. In the general election, turnout was 79.39% with 4,506,000 votes cast.

## Democratic primary

Governor Samuel H. Shapiro won renomination without opposition.
1968 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Illinois :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic | Samuel H. Shapiro (incumbent) | 646,028 | 99.97 | N/A |
| | Write-in | Others | 204 | 0.03 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 645,824 | 99.94 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 626,232 | | |

## Republican primary

Ogilvie won the nomination against 1964 lieutenant gubernatorial candidate John Henry Altorfer, former Governor William G. Stratton, and S. Thomas Sutton.

### Candidates

* John Henry Altorfer, 1964 lieutenant gubernatorial candidate
* Richard B. Ogilvie, president of the Cook County Board of Commissioners and former sheriff of Cook County
* William G. Stratton, former governor of Illinois
* S. Thomas Sutton

### Results

1968 Republican gubernatorial primary, Illinois :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Richard B. Ogilvie | 335,727 | 47.51 | N/A |
| | Republican | John Henry Altorfer | 288,904 | 40.89 | N/A |
| | Republican | William G. Stratton | 50,041 | 7.08 | N/A |
| | Republican | S. Thomas Sutton | 31,925 | 4.52 | N/A |
| | Write-in | Others | 3 | 0.00 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 46,823 | 6.63 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 706,600 | | |

## General election

Ogilive won 83 of the state's 102 counties. However, among the 19 counties Shapiro won was the state's most populous, Cook County.
1968 gubernatorial election, Illinois :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Republican | Richard B. Ogilvie | 2,307,295 | 51.21 | +3.13 |
| | Democratic | Samuel H. Shapiro (incumbent) | 2,179,501 | 48.37 | −3.56 |
| | Socialist Labor | Edward C. Gross | 19,175 | 0.43 | N/A |
| | Write-in | Others | 29 | 0.00 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 127,794 | 2.84 | 6.69 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,506,000 | 79.39 | |
| | Republican gain from Democratic | Republican gain from Democratic | Swing | | |