# 1950 Illinois elections

Elections in Illinois :
Federal government
U.S. Presidential elections
1820
1824
1828
1832
1836
1840
1844
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1980
1984
Dem
Rep
1988
1992
1996
Dem
Rep
2000
Dem
Rep
2004
Dem
Rep
2008
Dem
Rep
2012
Dem
Rep
2016
Dem
Rep
2020
Dem
Rep
2024
Dem
Rep
U.S. Senate elections
1818
1819
1823
1824
1824 sp
1825
1830 sp
1831
1835
1837
1843
1846
1849
1849 sp
1853
1859
1861
1863 sp
1867
1879
1882
1885
1885 sp
1887 sp
1888
1890
1894
1896
1897
1901
1903
1907
1909
1913
1913 sp
1914
1918
1920
1924
1926
1928 sp
1930
1932
1936
1938
1940 sp
1942
1944
1948
1950
1954
1956
1960
1962
1966
1968
1970 sp
1972
1974
1978
1980
1984
1986
1990
1992
1996
1998
2002
2004
2008
2010
2010 sp
2014
2016
2020
2022
2026
U.S. House elections
1818
1819
1820
1822
1824
1826
1828
1831
1832
1834
1836
1838
1840
1842
1844
1846
1848
1850
1852
1854
1856
1858
1859
6th sp
1860
1861
6th sp
1862
1864
1866
1868
1870
1871
AL sp
1872
1874
1876
1878
1880
1882
1884
1886
1888
1890
1892
1894
1895
10th sp
18th sp
1896
1898
1900
1902
1904
1906
1908
1910
1912
1914
1916
1918
4th sp
1920
1922
AL sp
1923
2nd sp
4th sp
1924
1926
1928
1930
1932
1934
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
19th sp
1946
1948
1950
1952
1953
7th sp
1954
1956
1957
7th sp
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1969
13th sp
1970
6th sp
1972
15th sp
1973
7th sp
1974
1975
5th sp
1976
1978
1980
10th sp
1982
1983
1st sp
1984
1985
14th sp
1986
1988
21st sp
1990
1991
15th sp
1992
1994
1995
2nd sp
1996
1998
2000
1st
2002
2004
2006
2008
14th sp
2009
5th sp
2010
17th
2012
2013
2nd sp
2014
2015
18th sp
2016
2018
2020
2022
1st
2024 :
State government
General elections
1936
1938
1940
1942
1944
1946
1948
1950
1952
1954
1956
1958
1960
1962
1964
1966
1968
1969
1970
1972
1974
1976
1978
1980
1982
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Gubernatorial elections
1818
1822
1826
1830
1834
1838
1842
1846
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
1972
1976
1978
1982
1986
1990
1994
1998
2002
2006
2010
2014
2018
2022
Lieutenant Gubernatorial elections
1818
1822
1826
1830
1834
1838
1842
1846
1848
1852
1856
1860
1864
1868
1872
1876
1880
1884
1888
1892
1896
1900
1904
1908
1912
1916
1920
1924
1928
1932
1936
1940
1944
1948
1952
1956
1960
1964
1968
Attorney General elections
2018
2022
Secretary of State elections
2022
Comptroller elections
2016
Senate elections
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
House of Representatives elections
1964
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024
Judicial elections
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
Ballot measures and referendums
State capitol referendum (1834)
Cutback Amendment (1980)
Crime Victim Rights Amendment (1992)
Illinois Governor Recall Amendment (2010)
Public Pension Amendment (2012)
Marsy's Law (2014)
Right to Vote Amendment (2014)
Transportation Taxes and Fees Lockbox Amendment (2016)
Fair Tax (2020)
Right to Collective Bargaining Amendment (2022) :
Chicago
General elections
2019
2023
Mayoral elections
1837
1838
1839
1840
1841
1842
1843
1844
1845
1846
1847
1848
1849
1850
1851
1852
1853
1854
1855
1856
1857
1858
1859
1860
1861
1862
1863
1865
1867
1869
1871
1873
1876
1877
1879
1881
1883
1885
1887
1889
1891
1893
1893 sp
1895
1897
1899
1901
1903
1905
1907
1911
1915
1919
1923
1927
1931
1935
1939
1943
1947
1951
1955
1959
1963
1967
1971
1975
1977 sp
1979
1983
1987
1989 sp
1991
1995
1999
2003
2007
2011
2015
2019
2023
2027
Aldermanic elections
1923
1925
1927
1929
2011
2015
2019
2023
Chicago Board of Education elections
2024
2026 :
Cook County
County elections
1946
1980
State's Attorney
1984
1986
1988
1990
1992
1994
1996
1998
2000
2002
2004
2006
2008
2010
2012
2014
2016
2018
2020
2022
2024 :
vte :
Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 7, 1950.
Primaries were held April 11, 1950.

## Election information

1950 was a midterm election year in the United States.

### Turnout

In the primary election 1,789,787 ballots were cast (912,563 Democratic and 877,224 Republican).
In the general election 3,731,618 ballots were cast.

## Federal elections
### United States Senate

Incumbent Senate Majority Leader Scott W. Lucas, a two-term incumbent Democratic senator, lost reelection to Republican Everett Dirksen.

### United States House

All 26 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1950.
Republicans flipped four Republican-held seats, leaving the Illinois House delegation to consist of 18 Republicans and 8 Democrats.

## State elections
### Treasurer

Incumbent first-term Treasurer, Democrat Ora Smith, did not seek reelection, instead running for Clerk of the Supreme Court. Republican William Stratton was elected to succeed him, earning Stratton a second non-consecutive term as Treasurer.

#### Democratic primary

Treasurer Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Michael Howlett | 680,161 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 3 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 680,164 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Former Illinois Treasurer and congressman William Stratton won the Republican primary. He defeated Cook County Treasurer Louis E. Nelson, former congressman James Simpson Jr., fellow former Illinois Treasurer Warren E. Wright, Chicago alderman Theron W. Merryman, among others.
Treasurer Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William G. Stratton | 290,242 | 38.54 |
| | Republican | Louis E. Nelson | 214,113 | 28.43 |
| | Republican | James Simpson | 126,122 | 16.75 |
| | Republican | Warren E. Wright | 61,103 | 8.11 |
| | Republican | Theron W. Merryman | 25,194 | 3.35 |
| | Republican | Herbert B. Blanchard | 23,556 | 3.13 |
| | Republican | Henry J. Samuel | 12,864 | 1.71 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 753,194 | 100 |

#### General election

Treasurer election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William G. Stratton | 1,959,734 | 55.34 |
| | Democratic | Michael Howlett | 1,568,765 | 44.30 |
| | Prohibition | Enoch A. Holtwick | 13,050 | 0.37 |
| | Write-in | Others | 9 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,541,558 | 100 |

### Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Vernon L. Nickell, a Republican, was reelected to a third term.

#### Democratic primary

Superintendent of Public Instruction Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | C. Hobart Engle | 475,461 | 100 |
| | Democratic | Mark A. Peterman | 218,021 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 100 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 693,483 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Superintendent of Public Instruction Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Vernon L. Nickell (incumbent) | 521,759 | 74.41 |
| | Republican | Clyde Franklin Burgess | 179,415 | 25.59 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 701,174 | 100 |

#### General election

Superintendent of Public Instruction election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Vernon L. Nickell (incumbent) | 1,995,495 | 56.77 |
| | Democratic | C. Hobart Engle | 1,505,257 | 42.82 |
| | Prohibition | Henry L. Lundquist | 14,298 | 0.41 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,515,050 | 100 |

### Clerk of the Supreme Court

Incumbent Clerk of the Supreme Court Earle Benjamin Searcy, a Republican, was reelected.

#### Democratic primary

Illinois Treasurer Ora Smith won the Democratic primary, running unopposed.
Clerk of the Supreme Court Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Ora Smith | 674,744 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 2 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 674,746 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Incumbent Earle Benjamin Searcy won the Republican primary, defeating three challengers.
Clerk of the Supreme Court Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Earle Benjamin Searcy (incumbent) | 382,131 | 55.90 |
| | Republican | William H. Brown | 153,943 | 22.52 |
| | Republican | George C. Moffat | 91,004 | 13.31 |
| | Republican | Eugene T. Devitt | 56,482 | 8.26 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 683,561 | 100 |

#### General election

Clerk of the Supreme Court election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Earle Benjamin Searcy (incumbent) | 1,905,704 | 54.42 |
| | Democratic | James P. Alexander | 1,584,162 | 45.23 |
| | Prohibition | Irving B. Gilbert | 12,291 | 0.35 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,502,158 | 100 |

### State Senate

Seats in the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1950. Republicans flipped control of the chamber.

### State House of Representatives

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1950. Republicans remained in control of the chamber.

### Trustees of University of Illinois

An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois.
New Republican members Harold "Red" Grange Wayne A. Johnston, and Herbert B. Megran were elected.
Second-term Democrat Karl A. Meyer lost reelection. Democrat Kenney E. Williamson (serving his first full, and second overall term) also lost reelection. Incumbent first-term Democrat Walter W. McLaughlin was not nominated for reelection, with former member Harold Pogue nominated instead.
Trustees of the University of Illinois election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Harold "Red" Grange | 1,945,936 | 18.72 |
| | Republican | Wayne A. Johnston | 1,895,867 | 18.24 |
| | Republican | Herbert B. Megran | 1,852,747 | 17.83 |
| | Democratic | Dr. Karl A. Meyer (incumbent) | 1,648,772 | 15.86 |
| | Democratic | Kenney E. Williamson (incumbent) | 1,533,087 | 14.75 |
| | Democratic | Harold Pogue | 1,517,449 | 14.60 |
| | Prohibition | Olive R. Wilson | 12,446½ | 0.12 |
| | Prohibition | Edward N. Himmel | 12,382½ | 0.12 |
| | Prohibition | Albert F. Schersten | 11,766½ | 0.11 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 10,393,858 | 100 |

### Judicial elections

On April 11, two special elections were held, one to fill a vacancy of the Circuit Court of Cook County and one to fill a vacancy on the Superior Court of Cook County.

### Ballot measure

One measure was put before voters in 1950, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment.
In order to be approved, it required approval equal to a majority of voters voting in the entire general election.

#### Illinois Gateway Amendment

The Illinois Gateway Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to Section 2 of Article XIV of the Constitution, was approved by voters. It made it so that the legislature would be able to propose modifications of up to three articles of the constitution per session, and also made it so that future constitutional amendments would require either a two-thirds vote of the voters voting on the question or a majority of voter voting in the election.
Illinois Gateway Amendment :
| Option | Votes on measure | % of all ballots cast |
| Yes | 2,512,323 | 67.33 |
| No | 735,903 | 19.72 |
| Total votes | 3,248,226 | 87.05 |

## Local elections

Local elections were held.