1940 Illinois elections


Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 5, 1940.
Primaries were held April 9, 1940.
While the Democratic ticket of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Henry A. Wallace won the state's electors in the presidential election, the election overall saw significant victories for the Republican Party. The Republican Party retained their control of the Illinois House, and flipped control of the Illinois Senate, as well as control of the executive offices of governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, auditor of public accounts, and treasurer, all of which had previously been under Democratic Party control. Democrats retained their hold on the executive office of secretary of state. Additionally, Republicans won all seats up for election on the board of trustees of the University of Illinois. Republicans also won the state's special United States Senate election and flipped six Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives.

Election information

Turnout

In the primaries, 2,647,467 ballots were cast.
In the general election, 4,262,196 ballots were cast.

Federal elections

United States president

Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Henry A. Wallace.

United States Senate

Republican Charles W. Brooks unseated Democrat James M. Slattery, who had been appointed to the seat left vacant by the death in office of Democrat J. Hamilton Lewis.

United States House

All 27 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1940.
Republicans flipped six Democratic-held seats, making the composition of Illinois' House delegation 16 Republicans and 11 Democrats.

State elections

Governor

Before the primary, incumbent governor Henry Horner, a Democrat, opted not to seek a third term. In October, before the general election, his death in office made John Henry Stelle assume the governorship. However, Stelle had previously failed to win the Democratic nomination in the primary.
Republican Dwight H. Green won the election.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

Lieutenant governor

Incumbent lieutenant governor John Henry Stelle, a Democrat, did not seek reelection to a second term, instead opting to run for governor. Republican Hugh W. Cross was elected to succeed him.

Democratic primary

Candidates

Republican primary

Candidates

Attorney general

Incumbent Attorney General John Edward Cassidy, a Democrat appointed in 1938 after fellow Democrat Otto Kerner Sr. resigned to accept a federal judgeship, did not seek reelection to a full term. Republican George F. Barrett was elected to succeed him.

Republican primary

Candidates

Secretary of State

Incumbent second-term Secretary of State Edward J. Hughes, a Democrat, was reelected.

Republican primary

Justus L. Johnson won the Republican primary, defeating businessman Richard Yates Rowe and Illinois state senator Arthur J. Bidwill.

Auditor of Public Accounts

Incumbent third-term Auditor of Public Accounts Edward J. Barrett, lost renomination in the Democratic primary. Republican Arthur C. Lueder was elected to succeed him.

Democratic primary

Incumbent Edward J. Barrett narrowly lost renomination to U.S. congressman and former Illinois state treasurer John C. Martin.

Republican primary

Candidates

Treasurer

Incumbent first-term Treasurer Louie E. Lewis, a Democrat, did not seek reelection, instead running for lieutenant governor. Republican Warren Wright was elected to succeed him in office.

State Senate

Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1940. Republicans flipped control of the chamber.

State House of Representatives

Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1940. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

University of Illinois trustees

An election was held for three of the nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois to six year terms, and a special election was held to fill the partial term of a seat that was vacated. Republicans swept all four seats in the two elections. The election was for six-year terms.

Regular election

An election was held for three six-year terms to the board.
Former two-term Republican member Helen M. H. Grigsby was returned to the board. New Republican members John R. Fornof and Park Livingston were elected to the board.
Incumbent first-term Democrat Marie Coyle Plumb lost reelection.
First-term Democrats Oscar G. Mayer Sr. and Harold Pogue did not seek reelection.
Marie Coyle Plumb was listed on the ballot as "Mrs. Glenn E. Plumb", and Beulah Campbell was listed as "Belulah Campbell".

Special election

A special election was held to fill the term left vacant by the death in office of Democrat Louis Conrad Moschel in 1940. Republican Chester R. Davis was elected, defeating incumbent Kenny E. Williamson.

Judicial elections

On June 3, 1940, an election was held for judges of the Superior Court of Cook County.
On November 5, 1940, an election was held to fill a vacancy on the Eighth Judicial Circuit.

Ballot measure

A legislatively referred state statute was brought before the voters.

Illinois Banking Law Amendment

Voters approved the Illinois Banking Law Amendment, a legislatively referred state statute which made it easier to establish new banks in small municipalities that lack banks. It amended sections 11 and 12 of the general banking law.

Local elections

Local elections were held.