The US state of Illinois is a Democratic stronghold and one of the "big three" Democratic states alongside California and New York.[1] It is considered one of the most Democratic states in the nation and following the 2018 elections, all six statewide elected offices are held by a Democrat.[1] However, there is a sharp division between Democratic cities, college towns, and population centers, and highly conservative rural regions, which continue to be dominated by Republicans, but are drowned out due to their relatively low population.
| Year | Republican / Whig | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2020 | 2,446,891 | 40.45% | 3,471,915 | 57.39% | 130,694 | 2.16% |
| 2016 | 2,146,015 | 38.35% | 3,090,729 | 55.24% | 358,535 | 6.41% |
| 2012 | 2,135,216 | 40.66% | 3,019,512 | 57.50% | 96,704 | 1.84% |
| 2008 | 2,031,179 | 36.73% | 3,419,348 | 61.83% | 79,652 | 1.44% |
| 2004 | 2,345,946 | 44.48% | 2,891,550 | 54.82% | 36,826 | 0.70% |
| 2000 | 2,019,421 | 42.58% | 2,589,026 | 54.60% | 133,676 | 2.82% |
| 1996 | 1,587,021 | 36.81% | 2,341,744 | 54.32% | 382,626 | 8.87% |
| 1992 | 1,734,096 | 34.34% | 2,453,350 | 48.58% | 862,711 | 17.08% |
| 1988 | 2,310,939 | 50.69% | 2,215,940 | 48.60% | 32,241 | 0.71% |
| 1984 | 2,707,103 | 56.17% | 2,086,499 | 43.30% | 25,486 | 0.53% |
| 1980 | 2,358,049 | 49.65% | 1,981,413 | 41.72% | 410,259 | 8.64% |
| 1976 | 2,364,269 | 50.10% | 2,271,295 | 48.13% | 83,269 | 1.76% |
| 1972 | 2,788,179 | 59.03% | 1,913,472 | 40.51% | 21,585 | 0.46% |
| 1968 | 2,174,774 | 47.08% | 2,039,814 | 44.15% | 405,161 | 8.77% |
| 1964 | 1,905,946 | 40.53% | 2,796,833 | 59.47% | 62 | 0.00% |
| 1960 | 2,368,988 | 49.80% | 2,377,846 | 49.98% | 10,575 | 0.22% |
| 1956 | 2,623,327 | 59.52% | 1,775,682 | 40.29% | 8,398 | 0.19% |
| 1952 | 2,457,327 | 54.84% | 2,013,920 | 44.94% | 9,811 | 0.22% |
| 1948 | 1,961,103 | 49.22% | 1,994,715 | 50.07% | 28,228 | 0.71% |
| 1944 | 1,939,314 | 48.05% | 2,079,479 | 51.52% | 17,268 | 0.43% |
| 1940 | 2,047,240 | 48.54% | 2,149,934 | 50.97% | 20,761 | 0.49% |
| 1936 | 1,570,393 | 39.69% | 2,282,999 | 57.70% | 103,130 | 2.61% |
| 1932 | 1,432,756 | 42.04% | 1,882,304 | 55.23% | 92,866 | 2.73% |
| 1928 | 1,769,141 | 56.93% | 1,313,817 | 42.28% | 24,531 | 0.79% |
| 1924 | 1,453,321 | 58.84% | 576,975 | 23.36% | 439,771 | 17.80% |
| 1920 | 1,420,480 | 67.81% | 534,395 | 25.51% | 139,839 | 6.68% |
| 1916 | 1,152,549 | 52.56% | 950,229 | 43.34% | 89,929 | 4.10% |
| 1912 | 253,593 | 22.13% | 405,048 | 35.34% | 487,532 | 42.54% |
| 1908 | 629,932 | 54.53% | 450,810 | 39.02% | 74,512 | 6.45% |
| 1904 | 632,645 | 58.77% | 327,606 | 30.43% | 116,248 | 10.80% |
| 1900 | 597,985 | 52.83% | 503,061 | 44.44% | 30,851 | 2.73% |
| 1896 | 607,130 | 55.66% | 465,613 | 42.68% | 18,126 | 1.66% |
| 1892 | 399,288 | 45.70% | 426,281 | 48.79% | 48,078 | 5.50% |
| 1888 | 370,475 | 49.54% | 348,351 | 46.58% | 28,987 | 3.88% |
| 1884 | 337,469 | 50.17% | 312,351 | 46.43% | 22,850 | 3.40% |
| 1880 | 318,036 | 51.11% | 277,321 | 44.56% | 26,948 | 4.33% |
| 1876 | 278,232 | 50.20% | 258,611 | 46.66% | 17,384 | 3.14% |
| 1872 | 241,936 | 56.27% | 184,884 | 43.00% | 3,151 | 0.73% |
| 1868 | 250,304 | 55.69% | 199,116 | 44.31% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1864 | 189,512 | 54.42% | 158,724 | 45.58% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1860 | 172,171 | 50.69% | 160,215 | 47.17% | 7,280 | 2.14% |
| 1856 | 96,275 | 40.23% | 105,528 | 44.09% | 37,531 | 15.68% |
| 1852 | 64,733 | 41.77% | 80,378 | 51.87% | 9,863 | 6.36% |
| 1848 | 52,853 | 42.42% | 55,952 | 44.91% | 15,791 | 12.67% |
| 1844 | 45,854 | 42.05% | 58,795 | 53.91% | 4,408 | 4.04% |
| 1840 | 45,574 | 48.91% | 47,441 | 50.92% | 160 | 0.17% |
| 1836 | 15,220 | 45.31% | 18,369 | 54.69% | 0 | 0.00% |
Historically, Illinois was a critical swing state leaning marginally towards the Republican Party.[3] Between its admission into the Union and 1996, it voted for the losing candidate just six times - in 1824, 1840, 1848, 1884, 1916, and 1976. However, following Bill Clinton's election in 1992, and his victory in Illinois, the state has been realigned in favor of Democratic candidates for president, with eight consecutive wins by that party, regardless of the national outcome. In 2000, George W. Bush became the first Republican to win the presidency without the state.
Traditionally, Chicago, East Saint Louis, and the Quad Cities region have tended to vote heavily Democratic, along with the Central Illinois population centers of Peoria, Champaign-Urbana and Decatur. In recent years, Chicago's suburban collar counties continue to trend Democratic as well, contributing to the end of its swing state status, even as rural areas became even more heavily Republican.[4]
Rod Blagojevich, a Democrat, was elected as Illinois' Governor in 2002, the first Democrat elected since 1972. Blagojevich was re-elected in 2006, defeating Republican State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka. However, in 2009, Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office due to charges that he abused his power while in office. Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn succeeded him. Following Quinn's election to a full term outright in 2010, the state elected in 2014 Bruce Rauner, the first Republican chief executive in twelve years. Following the 2018 elections, J. B. Pritzker became the state's current Democratic governor.