1920 Illinois gubernatorial election
The 1920 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on November 2, 1920.
Incumbent first-term Republican Governor Frank Orren Lowden declined to stand for re-election. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Republican nomination for U.S. President at the Republican National Convention.
Republican nominee Len Small defeated Democratic nominee James Hamilton Lewis with 58.78% of the vote.
Primary elections
Primary elections were held on September 15, 1920.Democratic primary
Candidates
- James Hamilton Lewis, former U.S. Senator
- Barratt O'Hara, former [Lieutenant Governor of Illinois|Governor of Illinois|Lieutenant Governor]
Republican primary
Candidates
- Oscar E. Carlstrom, Mercer County state's attorney
- John G. Oglesby, incumbent Lieutenant Governor
- Len Small, former State Treasurer
- Edward N. Woodruff, mayor of Peoria
Socialist primary
Candidates
- Andrew Lafin
General election
Candidates
Major candidates
- Len Small, Republican
- James Hamilton Lewis, Democratic
Minor candidates
- Harrison Parker, Co-operative, former president of the Chicago-American Newspaper Company
- John H. Walker, Farmer-Labor, national Chairman of the Farmer-Labor Party
- John Maynard Harlan, Harding-Coolidge Republican, Independent nominee for mayor of Chicago 1897 and Republican nominee for mayor of Chicago in 1905
- Parke Longworth, Liberal
- James H. Woertendyke, Prohibition, Prohibition nominee for U.S. House in 1904 from Illinois's 13th congressional district
- Lewis D. Spaulding, Single Tax
- Andrew Lafin, Socialist, Socialist nominee for U.S. House in 1916 from Illinois's 9th congressional district
- John M. Francis, Socialist Labor, nominee for Governor in 1916