# 1964 Illinois elections

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Ballot measures and referendums
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Right to Collective Bargaining Amendment (2022) :
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vte :
Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 3, 1964.
Primaries were held on April 14, 1964.

## Election information
### Turnout

In the primary, turnout was 41.74% with 2,154,941 ballots cast (1,062,320 Democrat and 1,092,621 Republican).
In the general election, turnout was 86.67% with 4,796,641 ballots cast.

## Federal elections
### United States President

Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket of Lyndon B. Johnson and Hubert Humphrey.

### United States House

All 24 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1964.
Democrats flipped one seat, leaving the Illinois House delegation to consist of 13 Democrats and 11 Republicans.

## State elections
### Governor

Incumbent Governor Otto Kerner Jr., a Democrat, won reelection.
Gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Otto Kerner Jr. (incumbent) | 2,418,394 | 51.93 |
| | Republican | Charles H. Percy | 2,239,095 | 48.08 |
| | Write-in | Others | 11 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,657,500 | 100 |

### Lieutenant governor

Incumbent lieutenant governor Samuel H. Shapiro, a Democrat, won reelection to a second term.

#### Democratic primary

Lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Samuel H. Shapiro (incumbent) | 850,941 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 7 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 850,948 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Lieutenant gubernatorial Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Henry Altorfer | 308,498 | 33.28 |
| | Republican | Warren L. Wood | 200,502 | 21.63 |
| | Republican | John A. Graham | 126,543 | 13.65 |
| | Republican | Edward J. Pree | 118,305 | 12.76 |
| | Republican | Howard J. Doyle | 79,928 | 8.62 |
| | Republican | Alan A. Walters | 49,048 | 5.29 |
| | Republican | Marvin R. Dee | 44,197 | 4.77 |
| | Write-in | Others | 36 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 927,057 | 100 |

#### General election

Lieutenant gubernatorial election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Samuel H. Shapiro (incumbent) | 2,462,823 | 54.18 |
| | Republican | John Henry Altorfer | 2,082,624 | 45.82 |
| | Write-in | Others | 3 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,545,450 | 100 |

### Attorney general

Incumbent attorney general William G. Clark, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term.

#### Democratic primary

Attorney General Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | William G. Clark (incumbent) | 849,600 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 8 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 849,608 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Attorney General Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Elroy C. Sandquist | 271,991 | 29.99 |
| | Republican | Jack I. Sperling | 253,362 | 27.94 |
| | Republican | Robert R. Canfield | 213,683 | 23.56 |
| | Republican | William D. Stiehl | 127,732 | 14.08 |
| | Republican | William F. Lavelle | 40,152 | 4.43 |
| | Write-in | Others | 8 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 906,928 | 100 |

#### General election

Attorney General election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | William G. Clark (incumbent) | 2,530,971 | 55.73 |
| | Republican | Elroy C. Sandquist | 2,010,553 | 44.47 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,541,525 | 100 |

### Secretary of State

The incumbent Secretary of State was William H. Chamberlain, a Democrat appointed in 1964. He did not seek reelection. Democrat Paul Powell was elected to succeed him in office.

#### Democratic primary

Secretary of State Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Paul T. Powell | 860,902 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 28 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 860,930 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

Secretary of State Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | Elmer J. Hoffman | 414,214 | 44.01 |
| | Republican | John P. Meyer | 230,159 | 24.45 |
| | Republican | Terrel E. Clarke | 146,014 | 15.51 |
| | Republican | Walter J. Haas | 56,640 | 6.02 |
| | Republican | Harley D. Jones | 55,724 | 5.92 |
| | Republican | Walter E. Pacanowski | 38,487 | 4.09 |
| | Write-in | Others | 36 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 941,274 | 100 |

#### General election

Secretary of State election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Paul T. Powell | 2,517,226 | 55.37 |
| | Republican | Elmer J. Hoffman | 2,028,670 | 44.63 |
| | Write-in | Others | 16 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,545,912 | 100 |

### Auditor of Public Accounts

Incumbent Auditor of Public Accounts Michael Howlett, a Democrat, was reelected to a second term, defeating Republican challenger John Kirby.

#### Democratic primary

Howlett won the Democratic primary unopposed.
Auditor of Public Accounts Democratic primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Michael J. Howlett (incumbent) | 843,204 | 100 |
| | Write-in | Others | 5 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 843,209 | 100 |

#### Republican primary

John Kirby won the Republican primary.
Candidates
* John William Chapman, former Lieutenant Governor
* Maurice W. Coburn, 1962 Illinois Treasurer candidate, former administrative assistant to the Governor of Illinois (1956–1960), chairman of the Illinois Veterans League, 44th Ward Precinct Captain, former President of the Young Conservative Club, lawyer
* Louis "Lou" Haenle
* James P. Hennessy
* Gordon E. Kerr, Illinois State Senator
* John Kirby
* Walter E. McCarron, Cook County Coroner
* Sherwin Willens, businessman
Results
Auditor of Public Accounts Republican primary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Republican | John Kirby | 245,015 | 27.33 |
| | Republican | John William Chapman | 190,271 | 21.22 |
| | Republican | Gordon E. Kerr | 129,363 | 14.43 |
| | Republican | Walter E. McCarron | 94,548 | 10.55 |
| | Republican | Maurice W Coburn | 80,877 | 9.02 |
| | Republican | James P. Hennessy | 74,322 | 8.29 |
| | Republican | Sherwin Willens | 64,528 | 7.20 |
| | Republican | Louis "Lou" Haenle | 17,568 | 1.96 |
| | Write-in | Others | 30 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 896,522 | 100 |

#### General election

Auditor of Public Accounts election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Michael J. Howlett (incumbent) | 2,513,831 | 55.47 |
| | Republican | John Kirby | 2,017,951 | 44.53 |
| | Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 4,531,783 | 100 |

### State Senate

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1964. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

### State House of Representatives

All 177 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1964. Due to the state's failure to redistrict, the election was held at-large, with all candidates listed on one ballot that contained 236 names and spread 33 inches long. Both the Democrats and the Republicans nominated 118 candidates. Voters could vote for up to 177 candidates, and a straight-ticket option was also available.
Every Democratic candidate won, flipping the chamber and giving Democrats a super-majority in the state House. Democrats won a total of 118 seats to Republican's 59 seats.

### Trustees of University of Illinois

An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois.
The election saw the reelection of first term Democratic incumbent Howard Clement, second-term Democratic incumbent Harold Pogue, as well as fellow Democratic incumbent Theodore A. Jones (who had been appointed to fill a vacancy in 1963).
Trustees of the University of Illinois election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Democratic | Howard W. Clement (incumbent) | 2,514,840 | 18.60 |
| | Democratic | Theodore A. Jones (incumbent) | 2,484,508 | 18.38 |
| | Democratic | Harold A. Pogue (incumbent) | 2,440,845 | 18.05 |
| | Republican | Park Livingston | 2,075,034 | 15.35 |
| | Republican | C. Ernest Lovejoy | 2,013,525 | 14.89 |
| | Republican | James A. Weatherly | 1,992,575 | 14.76 |
| | Write-in | Others | 2 | 0.00 |
| Total votes | Total votes | Total votes | 13,521,329 | 100 |

### Ballot measures

Two ballot measures were put before voters in 1966, both of them legislatively referred constitutional amendments.
In order to be placed on the ballot, proposed legislatively referred constitutional amendments needed to be approved by two-thirds of each house of the Illinois General Assembly. In order to be approved, they required approval of either two-thirds of those voting on the amendment itself or a majority of all ballots cast in the general elections.

#### Annual Legislative Sessions Amendment

The Annual Legislative Sessions Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, was put to a vote. It would have amended Section 9 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution. It failed to meet either threshold for passage.
Annual Legislative Sessions Amendment :
| Option | Votes | % of votes on referendum | % of all ballots cast |
| Yes | 2,290,263 | 63.10 | 47.75 |
| No | 1,339,540 | 36.90 | 27.93 |
| Total votes | 3,629,803 | 100 | 75.67 |
| Voter turnout | 65.58% | 65.58% | 65.58% |

#### Continuity of Governmental Operations in Periods of Emergency Amendment

The Continuity of Governmental Operations in Periods of Emergency Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment, was put to a vote. It would have amended Section 35 of Article IV of the Illinois Constitution. It failed to meet either threshold for passage.
Continuity of Governmental Operations in Periods of Emergency Amendment :
| Option | Votes | % of votes on referendum | % of all ballots cast |
| Yes | 1,808,491 | 50.62 | 37.70 |
| No | 1,275,871 | 35.71 | 26.60 |
| Total votes | 3,572,966 | 100 | 74.49 |
| Voter turnout | 64.56% | 64.56% | 64.56% |

## Local elections

Local elections were held.