# 1968 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 5, 1968.
Primaries were held on June 11, 1968.

## Election information
### Turnout

In the primary, turnout was 28.84% with 1,573,173 ballots cast (833,498 Democrat and 739,675 Republican).
In the general election, turnout was 82.91% with 4,705,852 ballots cast.

## Federal elections
### United States President

Illinois voted for the Republican ticket of Richard Nixon and Spiro Agnew.

### United States Senate

Incumbent Senator Everett M. Dirksen, a Republican, won reelection to a fourth term.

### United States House

All 24 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1968.
No seats switched parties, leaving the Illinois House delegation to continue to consist of 12 Democrats and 12 Republicans.

## State elections
### Governor

Incumbent Democratic Governor Samuel Shapiro lost reelection to Republican Richard B. Ogilvie.
Gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Richard B. Ogilvie | 2,307,295 | 51.21 |
| | Democratic | Samuel H. Shapiro (incumbent) | 2,179,501 | 48.37 |
| | Socialist Labor | Edward C. Gross | 19,175 | 0.43 |
| | Write-in | Others | 29 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,506,000 | |

### Lieutenant governor

Democrat Paul Simon was elected to serve as lieutenant governor.
This was the only time in Illinois history that the state had the elected a governor and a lieutenant governor from different political parties (there were, however, instances in Illinois where an appointed lieutenant governor had been of a different political party than the governor).
Due to changes implemented by the passage of the 1970 Constitution of Illinois, in all subsequent elections, gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial candidates have been jointly elected on a ticket. Therefore, this was the last Illinois election held for the sole purpose of electing a lieutenant governor.

#### Democratic primary

Lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Paul Simon | 600,369 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 6 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 600,375 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Robert A. Dwyer, an insurance executive from Winnetka ran unopposed for the Republican nomination.
Lieutenant gubernatorial Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Robert A. Dwyer | 534,882 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 6 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 534,888 | 100 |

#### General election

Lieutenant gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Paul Simon | 2,222,331 | 50.87 |
| | Republican | Robert A. Dwyer | 2,125,910 | 48.67 |
| | Socialist Labor | Stanley L. Prorok | 20,122 | 0.46 |
| | Write-in | Others | 2 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,368,365 | |

### Attorney general

Incumbent attorney general William G. Clark, a Democrat, did not seek a third term. Republican William J. Scott was elected to succeed him.

#### Democratic primary

Attorney General Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Francis S. Lorenz | 611,138 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 14 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 611,152 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Attorney General Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William J. Scott | 581,595 | 76.67 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 581,595 | 100 |

#### General election

Attorney General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William J. Scott | 2,322,572 | 52.71 |
| | Democratic | Francis S. Lorenz | 2,065,984 | 46.89 |
| | Socialist Labor | George P. Milonas | 17,488 | 0.40 |
| | Write-in | Others | 2 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,528,836 | 100 |

### Secretary of State

Incumbent Secretary of State Paul Powell, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term.

#### Democratic primary

Secretary of State Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Paul Powell (incumbent) | 617,231 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 47 | 0.01 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 617,278 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Secretary of State Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Donald D. Carpentier | 502,497 | 76.67 |
| | Republican | Brian B. Duff | 153,017 | 23.34 |
| | Write-in | Others | 6 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 655,520 | 100 |

#### General election

Secretary of State election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Paul T. Powell (incumbent) | 2,278,868 | 50.94 |
| | Republican | Donald D. Carpentier | 2,173,839 | 48.59 |
| | Socialist Labor | George LaForest | 20,664 | 0.46 |
| | Write-in | Others | 9 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,473,380 | 100 |

### Auditor of Public Accounts

Incumbent Auditor of Public Accounts Michael Howlett, a Democrat, was reelected to a third term.

#### Democratic primary

Auditor of Public Accounts Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Michael J. Howlett (incumbent) | 591,297 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 13 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 591,310 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Auditor of Public Accounts Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | William C. Harris | 272,742 | 46.26 |
| | Republican | Terrel E. Clarke | 183,855 | 31.19 |
| | Republican | Wesley W. "Wes" Olson | 132,932 | 22.55 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 589,530 | 100 |

#### General election

Auditor of Public Accounts election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Michael J. Howlett (incumbent) | 2,215,401 | 50.99 |
| | Republican | William C. Harris | 2,106,676 | 48.49 |
| | Socialist Labor | Elizabeth Schnur | 22,591 | 0.52 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,344,669 | 100 |

### Clerk of the Supreme Court

The Clerk of the Supreme Court was Cleli Woods, who took office after the death in office of Fae Searcy earlier in 1968.
The 1970 Constitution of Illinois made it so that the office would become an appointive office by 1975, thus rendering the 1968 election the last instance in which an election was held for this office.

#### Democratic primary

Clerk of the Supreme Court Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Fannie G. Jones | 565,289 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 5 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 565,294 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Incumbent Clerk of the Supreme Court Fae Searcy died in office on March 25, 1968. However, she had already filed to be on the ballot before her death. Instead of being listed by her own name, Fae Searcy opted to be listed on the ballot as "Mrs. Earle Benjamin Searcy", her legal name. She had succeeded her husband in the office after his own death. Mrs. Searcy remained on the ballot, and received 32 percent of the vote despite being dead. However, Justin Taft outperformed her, with 45.01 percent of the vote, winning the nomination.
Clerk of the Supreme Court Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Justin Taft | 264,959 | 45.01 |
| | Republican | Fae Searcy (deceased; was incumbent at time of death) | 188,635 | 32.04 |
| | Republican | Louise Emerson | 135,103 | 22.95 |
| | Write-in | Others | 5 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 588,702 | 100 |

#### General election

Clerk of the Supreme Court election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Justin Taft | 2,286,086 | 52.68 |
| | Democratic | Fannie G. Jones | 2,032,768 | 46.84 |
| | Socialist Labor | Gregory P. Lyngas | 21,117 | 0.49 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,339,972 | 100 |

### State Senate

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1968. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

### State House of Representatives

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1968. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

### Trustees of University of Illinois

An election using cumulative voting was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois system.
The election saw the reelection of incumbent third-term Republican Timothy W. Swain and incumbent second-term Republican member Earl M. Hughes and the election of new Republican member Russell W. "Ruck" Steger.
Incumbent Democrat Kenney E. Williamson (appointed in 1967 after the death in office of Wayne A. Johnston) lost reelection.
Trustees of the University of Illinois election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Timothy W. Swain (incumbent) | 2,246,505 | 17.49 |
| | Republican | Earl M. Hughes (incumbent) | 2,222,696 | 17.30 |
| | Republican | Russell W. Steger | 2,176,223 | 16.94 |
| | Democratic | Kenney E. Williamson (incumbent) | 2,063,859 | 16.06 |
| | Democratic | Timothy R. Ives | 2,043,974 | 15.91 |
| | Democratic | Frances Best Watkins | 2,003,652 | 15.60 |
| | Socialist Labor | Edwin L. Williams | 33,031 | 0.26 |
| | Socialist Labor | Henry Schilling | 31,399 | 0.24 |
| | Socialist Labor | Clarys L. Essex | 26,768 | 0.21 |
| | Write-in | Others | 2 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 12,848,109 | 100 |

### Judicial elections

Judicial elections were held, including two elections to fill vacancies on the Illinois Appellate Court.

### Ballot measures

Three ballot measures were up for election in 1968, a legislatively referred state statute, a bond measure, and a call for a constitutional convention.
In order to be approved, legislatively referred state statues required the support of a majority of those voting on the statute. Bond measures needed a vote equal to majority of the votes cast for whichever chamber of the Illinois General Assembly had the highest cumulative vote count. A call for a constitutional convention required votes equal to a majority of the all ballots cast in the general election.

#### Illinois Banking Act

Illinois Banking Act was approved by voters as a legislatively referred state statue. It enabled Illinois state banks to have foreign branches.
Illinois Banking Act :
| Candidate | Candidate | Votes | % |
| Yes | Yes | 1,776,492 | 61.95 |
| No | No | 1,091,116 | 38.05 |
| Total votes | Total votes | 2,867,608 | 100 |
| Voter turnout | Voter turnout | 50.52% | 50.52% |

#### Illinois Natural Resources Development Bond Act

Illinois Natural Resources Development Bond Act, a legislatively referred bond question, failed to pass. It proposed a $1 billion bond act for the development of natural resources.
Bond measures needed a vote equal to majority of the votes cast for whichever chamber of the Illinois General Assembly had the highest cumulative vote count. In this election, the highest turnout for a chamber's elections was 4,268,956, so the needed vote total for the measure to have pass would have been 2,134,479.
Illinois Natural Resources Development Bond Act :
| Option | Votes | % of highest legislative vote cast |
| Yes | 1,656,600 | 38.81 |
| No | 1,216,814 | 28.50 |
| Total votes | 2,873,414 | 67.31 |
| Voter turnout | 50.62% | 50.62% |

#### Proposed call for a Constitutional Convention

In 1968, voters were presented with a referendum on whether to call a constitutional convention. This was the first such vote held in the State of Illinois since 1934. That call failed. The chief sponsor of the legislation that created this ballot measure was Senate Republican leader W. Russell Arrington. Democratic Governor Otto Kerner Jr. was supportive of holding a constitutional convention.
The call for the convention required the votes of an equal majority of all ballots cast in the 1968 general elections.
A constitutional convention was subsequently held, and the resulting Constitution of Illinois was approved by Illinois voters in a 1970 special election.
Proposed call for a Constitutional Convention :
| Option | Votes | % of all ballots cast |
| Yes | 2,979,972 | 63.33 |
| No | 1,135,440 | 24.13 |
| Total votes | 4,115,412 | 87.45 |
| Voter turnout | 72.50% | 72.50% |

## Local elections

Local elections were held.