# 1938 Illinois elections

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vte :
Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 8, 1938.
Primaries were held April 12, 1938.

## Election information

1938 was a midterm election year in the United States.

### Turnout

In the primary election 2,550,642 ballots were cast (1,744,005 Democratic and 806,637 Republican).
In the general election 3,274,814 ballots were cast.

## Federal elections
### United States Senate

Incumbent Democrat William H. Dieterich retired. Democrat Scott W. Lucas was elected to succeed him.

### United States House

All 27 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1938.
Republicans flipped four Democratic-held seats, making the composition of Illinois' House delegation 17 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

## State elections
### Treasurer

Incumbent Treasurer John C. Martin, a Democrat serving his second nonconsecutive term, did not seek reelection, instead opting to run for United States congress. Democrat Louie E. Lewis was elected to succeed him.

#### Democratic primary

Treasurer Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Louie E. Lewis | 749,665 | 51.26 |
| | Democratic | Bruce A. Campbell | 625,044 | 42.74 |
| | Democratic | G. N. (Pat.) Keefe | 87,860 | 6.01 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,462,569 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Incumbent congressman William G. Stratton won the Republican nomination.
Treasurer Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William R. McCauley | 360,585 | 55.36 |
| | Republican | Warren Wright | 290,780 | 44.64 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 651,365 | 100 |

#### General election

Treasurer election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Louie E. Lewis | 1,595,354 | 51.53 |
| | Democratic | William R. McCauley | 1,490,659 | 48.15 |
| | Prohibition | Clay F. Gaumer | 9,731 | 0.31 |
| | Write-in | Others | 4 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,095,744 | 100 |

### Superintendent of Public Instruction

Incumbent first-term Superintendent of Public Instruction John A. Wieland, a Democrat, won reelection.

#### Democratic primary

Superintendent of Public Instruction Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John A. Wieland (incumbent) | 601,743 | 43.22 |
| | Democratic | Frank A. Jensen | 571,735 | 41.06 |
| | Democratic | Thomas M. Enright | 123,318 | 8.86 |
| | Democratic | Elmer Henry Vogel | 95,570 | 6.86 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,392,366 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Superintendent of Public Instruction Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Wiley B. Garvin | 586,199 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 3 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 586,202 | 100 |

#### General election

Superintendent of Public Instruction election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | John A. Wieland (incumbent) | 1,559,286½ | 51.35 |
| | Republican | Wiley B. Garvin | 1,466,167 | 48.29 |
| | Prohibition | J. Oliver Buswell, Jr. | 10,971 | 0.36 |
| | Write-in | Others | 28 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,036,452 | 100 |

### Clerk of the Supreme Court

Incumbent first-term Clerk of the Supreme Court, Democrat Adam F. Bloch, was reelected.

#### Democratic primary

Clerk of the Supreme Court Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam F. Bloch | 554,875 | 40.15 |
| | Democratic | Walter J. Orlikoski | 479,148 | 34.67 |
| | Democratic | James E. Dolan | 140,070 | 10.14 |
| | Democratic | R. William Buckley | 99,358 | 7.19 |
| | Democratic | George Francis Keough | 61,077 | 4.42 |
| | Democratic | Rudolph E. Stastney | 47,438 | 3.43 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 1,381,966 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Clerk of the Supreme Court Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | George E. Lambur, Jr. | 238,612 | 37.53 |
| | Republican | Charles W. Vail | 179,995 | 28.31 |
| | Republican | Shelton L. Smith | 136,193 | 21.42 |
| | Republican | Sanford F. Giles | 80,970 | 12.74 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 635,770 | 100 |

#### General election

Clerk of the Supreme Court election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Adam F. Bloch | 1,574,010 | 51.47 |
| | Republican | George E. Lambur, Jr. | 1,473,902 | 48.20 |
| | Prohibition | Harry D. Penwell | 10,077 | 0.33 |
| | Write-in | Others | 3 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 3,057,992 | 100 |

### State Senate

Seats in the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1938. Democrats retained control of the chamber.

### State House of Representatives

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1938. Republicans flipped control of the chamber.

### Trustees of University of Illinois

An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois. All three Democratic nominees won.
Incumbent first-term Democrats Orville M. Karraker and Karl A. Meyer were reelected. New Democratic member Frank A. Jensen was also elected.
Incumbent Democrat was Nellie V. Freeman was not renominated.
Trustees of the University of Illinois election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Dr. Karl A. Meyer (incumbent) | 1,594,990 | 17.62 |
| | Democratic | Frank A. Jensen | 1,570,509½ | 17.35 |
| | Democratic | O. M. Karraker | 1,520,824 | 16.80 |
| | Republican | Albert I. Appleton | 1,453,439½ | 16.06 |
| | Republican | Frank M. White | 1,444,463 | 15.96 |
| | Republican | Frank H. McKelvey | 1,433,075½ | 15.83 |
| | Prohibition | Mildred E. Young | 12,492½ | 0.14 |
| | Prohibition | Maude S. Stowell | 11,400½ | 0.13 |
| | Prohibition | Lena Duell Vincen | 10,636 | 0.12 |
| | Write-in | Others | 10 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 9,051,840½ | 100 |

### Judicial elections
#### Supreme Court

On June 27, 1938, one district of the Supreme Court of Illinois had a special election.

##### 3rd district special election

A special election was held for the seat of the court's 3rd district, after the death in office of Lott R. Herrick. Republican Walter T. Gunn won the election.
3rd district Supreme Court of Illinois special election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Walter T. Gunn | 80,592 | 54.78 |
| | Democratic | Joseph L. McLaughlin | 66,525 | 45.22 |
| | write-in | scattering | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 147,118 | 100 |

### Ballot measure

One ballot measure was put before voters in 1938, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment

#### Illinois Banking Amendment

The Illinois Banking Amendment, a proposed legislatively referred constitutional amendment to Sections 5, 6, 7 and 8, of Article XI of the 1870 Illinois Constitution, failed to meet the threshold for approval. In order to be approved, legislatively referred constitutional amendments required approval equal to a majority of voters voting in the entire general election.
If approved, this amendment would have made modifications to state banking rules that would have reduced the liability of bank stockholders.
Illinois Banking Amendment :
| Option | Votes | % of all ballots cast |
| Yes | 979,892 | 29.92 |
| No | 352,428 | 10.76 |
| Total votes | 1,332,320 | 40.68 |

### Advisory referendum

One advisory referendum ("question of public policy") was put before voters.

#### National Draft for War on Foreign Soil Question

An advisory question was voted on, which asked voters whether the states United States congressmen should vote against a national military draft. Those who voted overwhelmingly instructed congressmen to vote against a national military draft.
National Draft for War on Foreign Soil Question :
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Yes | Yes | 1,678,352 | 63.67 |
| No | No | 957,696 | 36.33 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 2,636,048 | 100 |

## Local elections

Local elections were held.