1978 Illinois gubernatorial election


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The 1978 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on Tuesday, November 7, 1978.[1] Republican James R. Thompson easily won a second term in office, defeating Democratic nominee Michael Bakalis by nearly 600,000 votes.

1978 Illinois gubernatorial election
← 1976 November 7, 1978 1982 →
Turnout54.23% Decrease 19.95 pp
 
Nominee Jim Thompson Michael Bakalis
Party Republican Democratic
Running mate Dave O'Neal Dick Durbin
Popular vote 1,859,684 1,263,134
Percentage 59.04% 40.10%

County results

Thompson:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%

Bakalis:      40–50%      50–60%

Governor before election

James R. Thompson
Republican

Elected Governor

James R. Thompson
Republican

This was the first Illinois gubernatorial election that took place during the United States' midterm elections.[2] The previous election had been in 1976.

The primary (held March 21) and general election coincided with those for federal offices (Senate and House) and those for other state offices.[1][3] The election was part of the 1978 Illinois elections.

Turnout in the primaries saw 20.39% in the gubernatorial primaries, with a total of 1,201,603 votes cast, and 16.33% in the lieutenant gubernatorial primary, with 962,288 votes cast.[3] Turnout during the general election was 54.23%, with 3,150,107 votes cast.[1]

Incumbent Illinois Comptroller Michael Bakalis won the Democratic primary.

Bakalis' opponent had been Dakin Williams, a prosecutor who was the younger brother of famous playwright Tennessee Williams.[4] Williams had been a candidate for the Democratic nomination of Illinois' US Senate seat in 1972, and had unsuccessfully sought the nomination for the state's other US Senate seat in 1974.[5]

Lawyer and future congressman and U.S. Senator Dick Durbin won the Democratic primary for lieutenant governor, running unopposed.

Incumbent governor James R. Thompson won renomination, running unopposed.

Incumbent lieutenant governor Dave O'Neal won renomination, running unopposed.

  1. ^ a b c "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 7, 1978" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved June 25, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ w. "Illinois Constitution – Article V". Ilga.gov. Retrieved April 4, 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL PRIMARY ELECTION MARCH 21, 1978" (PDF). www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 27, 2022. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  4. ^ "Tennessee Williams' brother dead at 89". The State Journal-Register. May 22, 2008. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  5. ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - W. Dakin Williams". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  6. ^ "1978 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Illinois". uselectionatlas.org. Archived from the original on April 7, 2014. Retrieved January 17, 2022.