1946 Cook County, Illinois, elections

Elections were held in Cook County, Illinois, on November 5, 1946. Republicans took control of most county offices and occupied both seats of the Board of Appeals,[1] although Democrats retained their majority in the Board of Commissioners.[2] The Republican landslide reflected similar trends in state and federal elections at the time but was nevertheless unexpected. It resulted in the resignation of Democratic leader Edward Joseph Kelly and ultimately the end of his tenure as Mayor of Chicago. Republicans failed to capitalize on this victory in the following year's Chicago mayoral election, which was won by Democrat Martin Kennelly.

Democrat Richard J. Daley was defeated for the position of Sheriff by Republican candidate Elmer Michael Walsh.[1] This would be the only loss of his career; he later became the Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party Central Committee and served as Mayor of Chicago from 1955 to 1976, while Walsh would die in obscurity.

  1. ^ a b "Democrats save only three county offices". Arlington Heights Herald. Vol. 20, no. 11. November 8, 1946. p. 1. Retrieved March 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ^ "Democrats put 208 employes[sic] in job shelter". Chicago Tribune. Vol. 105, no. 281. November 23, 1946. p. 14. Retrieved March 1, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.