# 1944 Illinois elections

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vte :
Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 7, 1944.
Primaries were held April 11, 1944.

## Election information
### Turnout

In the primaries, 1,428,685 ballots were cast (635,487 Democratic and 793,198 Republican).
In the general election, 4,079,024 ballots were cast.

## Federal elections
### United States President

Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.

### United States Senate

Incumbent Democrat Scott W. Lucas won reelection to a second term.

### United States House

All 26 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1944.
Democrats flipped four Republican-held seats, making the composition of Illinois' House delegation 15 Republicans and 11 Democrats.

## State elections
### Governor

Incumbent Governor Dwight H. Green, a Republican, was reelected to a second term.

#### Democratic primary

Gubernatorial Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Thomas J. Courtney | 531,134 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 531,135 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Gubernatorial Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dwight H. Green (incumbent) | 621,286 | 86.16 |
| | Republican | Oscar E. Carlstrom | 99,831 | 13.84 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 721,117 | 100 |

#### General election

Gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Dwight H. Green (incumbent) | 2,013,270 | 50.75 |
| | Democratic | Thomas J. Courtney | 1,940,999 | 48.93 |
| | Socialist Labor | Charles Storm | 6,906 | 0.17 |
| | Prohibition | Willis Ray Wilson | 5,590 | 0.14 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,966,765 | 100 |

### Lieutenant governor

Incumbent lieutenant governor Hugh W. Cross, a Republican, was reelected to a second term.

#### Democratic primary

Lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Edward C. "Ted" Hunter | 487,810 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 487,810 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Lieutenant gubernatorial Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Hugh W. Cross (incumbent) | 613,829 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 613,830 | 100 |

#### General election

Lieutenant gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Hugh W. Cross (incumbent) | 1,950,767 | 50.25 |
| | Democratic | Edward C. "Ted" Hunter | 1,919,029 | 49.43 |
| | Socialist Labor | Gregory P. Lyngas | 6,816 | 0.18 |
| | Prohibition | Henry Johnson Long | 5,827 | 0.15 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,882,439 | 100 |

### Attorney general

Incumbent attorney general George F. Barrett, a Republican, won reelection to second term.

#### Democratic primary

Attorney General Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Sveinbjorn Johnson | 467,934 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 467,934 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Attorney General Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | George F. Barrett (incumbent) | 554,353 | 86.13 |
| | Republican | Lloyd C. Moody | 89,306 | 13.88 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 643,659 | 100 |

#### General election

Attorney General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | George F. Barrett (incumbent) | 1,959,836 | 50.53 |
| | Democratic | Sveinbjorn Johnson | 1,906,110 | 49.15 |
| | Socialist Labor | Tony Berchon | 6,658 | 0.17 |
| | Prohibition | Frederick Juchhoff | 5,729 | 0.15 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,878,333 | 100 |

### Secretary of State

Incumbent third-term Secretary of State Edward J. Hughes, a Democrat, did not seek reelection. Hughes then died before the general election, and in June 1944, Richard Yates Rowe, a Republican, was appointed to fill the rest of his term. In the election, Democrat Edward J. Barrett was elected to permanently succeed them in office.

#### Democratic primary

Secretary of State Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Edward J. Barrett | 505,699 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 505,700 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Arnold P. Benson, the president pro tempore of the Illinois Senate, won the Republican primary, defeating incumbent Illinois Treasurer and former congressman William Stratton.
Secretary of State Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Arnold P. Benson | 401,040 | 57.00 |
| | Republican | William G. Stratton | 302,539 | 43.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 703,579 | 100 |

#### General election

Secretary of State election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Edward J. Barrett | 2,003,057 | 51.33 |
| | Republican | Arnold P. Benson | 1,886,876 | 48.35 |
| | Socialist Labor | Louis Fisher | 6,927 | 0.18 |
| | Prohibition | Robert W. Melven | 5,740 | 0.15 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,902,601 | 100 |

### Auditor of Public Accounts

Incumbent Auditor of Public Accounts Arthur C. Lueder, a Republican, was reelected to a second term.

#### Democratic primary

Auditor of Public Accounts Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | William Vicars | 468,933 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 468,933 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Auditor of Public Accounts Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Arthur C. Lueder (incumbent) | 606,531 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 606,531 | 100 |

#### General election

Auditor of Public Accounts election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Arthur C. Lueder (incumbent) | 1,951,828 | 50.37 |
| | Democratic | William Vicars | 1,910,269 | 49.30 |
| | Socialist Labor | O. Alfred Olson | 7,132 | 0.18 |
| | Prohibition | Arthur McFall | 5,808 | 0.15 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,875,037 | 100 |

### Treasurer

Incumbent first-term Treasurer William G. Stratton, a Republican, did not seek reelection, instead opting to run for Secretary of State. Republican Conrad F. Becker was elected to succeed him in office.

#### Democratic primary

Treasurer Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Earl W. Merritt | 471,294 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 471,294 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Treasurer Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Conrad F. Becker | 422,336 | 67.29 |
| | Republican | Walter W. Waite | 117,506 | 18.72 |
| | Republican | Taylor E. Wilhelm | 87,791 | 13.99 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 627,633 | 100 |

#### General election

Treasurer election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Conrad F. Becker | 1,933,705 | 50.03 |
| | Democratic | Earl W. Merritt | 1,918,595 | 49.64 |
| | Socialist Labor | Gus Larson | 7,071 | 0.18 |
| | Prohibition | William J. Goodman | 5,838 | 0.15 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,865,209 | 100 |

### Clerk of the Supreme Court

Incumbent Clerk of the Supreme Court Edward F. Cullinane, a Democrat appointed to the office in 1940 after the death in office of Adam F. Bloch, did not seek reelection. Republican Earle Benjamin Searcy was elected to succeed him in office.

#### Democratic primary

Clerk of the Supreme Court Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Casimir Griglik | 465,397 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 465,397 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Clerk of the Supreme Court Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Earle Benjamin Searcy | 585,325 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 585,325 | 100 |

#### General election

Clerk of the Supreme Court election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Earle Benjamin Searcy | 1,953,537 | 50.72 |
| | Democratic | Casimir Griglik | 1,885,321 | 48.95 |
| | Socialist Labor | Rudy Kosic | 6,798 | 0.18 |
| | Prohibition | Harry A. Varney | 5,774 | 0.15 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,851,430 | 100 |

### State Senate

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1944. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

### State House of Representatives

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1944. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

### Trustees of University of Illinois

An election was held for three of the nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois. The election was for six-year terms. All three Democratic nominees won. However, since all three seats up for election were already held by Democrats, the partisan composition of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees remained unchanged, with a 9–3 Republican majority over Democrats.
Democratic incumbent Karl A. Meyer was reelected to a third term. Democratic incumbent Kenny E. Williamson, who had been appointed to fill a vacancy in 1940 was reelected to his first full term. New Democratic member Walter W. McLaughlin was also elected. First-term Democratic incumbent Frank A. Jensen was not nominated for reelection.
Trustees of the University of Illinois election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Walter W. McLaughlin | 1,944,733½ | 16.91 |
| | Democratic | Karl A. Meyer (incumbent) | 1,941,038 | 16.88 |
| | Democratic | Kenney E. Williamson (incumbent) | 1,923,750 | 16.73 |
| | Republican | Charles L. Engstrom | 1,899,495½ | 16.52 |
| | Republican | Charles S. Pillsbury | 1,888,459½ | 16.42 |
| | Republican | Charles Wham | 1,862,787½ | 16.20 |
| | Socialist Labor | Helen Olson | 7,269½ | 0.06 |
| | Socialist Labor | Nada Mijanovich | 7,045 | 0.06 |
| | Socialist Labor | Gabriele McKenzie | 6,806 | 0.06 |
| | Prohibition | Mildred E. Young | 6,083½ | 0.05 |
| | Prohibition | Alonzo L. Parrott | 5,956 | 0.05 |
| | Prohibition | Clay Freeman Gaumer | 5,866 | 0.05 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 11,499,290 | 100 |

### Ballot measures

Two ballot measures were put before voters in 1944. One was a legislatively referred state statute and one was a legislatively referred constitutional amendment.
In order to be approved, legislatively referred state statues required the support of a majority of those voting on the statute. In order to be approved, legislatively referred constitutional amendments required approval equal to a majority of voters voting in the entire general election.

#### Illinois County Officer Term Limit Amendment

Illinois County Officer Term Limit Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which would have amended Section 8 of Article X of the Constitution of the 1870 Constitution of Illinois, failed to meet the threshold for approval.
The amendment would have removed a constitutional provision requiring elected county officers to wait for four years after their term expired before they would be eligible to hold that same office again.
Illinois County Officer Term Limit Amendment :
| Option | Votes | % of all ballots cast |
| Yes | 898,107 | 22.02 |
| No | 653,877 | 16.03 |
| Total votes | 1,551,984 | 38.05 |

#### Illinois General Banking Law Amendment

The Illinois General Banking Law Amendment, a legislatively referred state statute which amended section 10 of the Illinois General Banking Law, was approved by voters.
Illinois General Banking Law Amendment :
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Yes | Yes | 973,159 | 69.12 |
| No | No | 434,767 | 30.88 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 1,407,926 | 100 |

## Local elections

Local elections were held.