Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 8, 1938.[1]

1938 Illinois elections

← 1936 November 8, 1938 1940 →

Primaries were held April 12, 1938.[1]

Election information

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1938 was a midterm election year in the United States.

Turnout

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In the primary election 2,550,642 ballots were cast (1,744,005 Democratic and 806,637 Republican).[1]

In the general election 3,274,814 ballots were cast.[1]

Federal elections

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United States Senate

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Incumbent Democrat William H. Dieterich retired. Democrat Scott W. Lucas was elected to succeed him.

United States House

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All 27 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1938.

Republicans flipped four Democratic-held seats, making the composition of Illinois' House delegation 17 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

State elections

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Treasurer

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1938 Illinois State Treasurer election
 
← 1936 November 8, 1938 1940 →
 
Nominee Louie E. Lewis William R. McCauley
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,595,354 1,490,659
Percentage 51.53% 48.15%

Treasurer before election

John C. Martin
Democratic

Elected Treasurer

Louie E. Lewis
Democratic

Incumbent Treasurer John C. Martin, a Democrat serving his second nonconsecutive term, did not seek reelection, instead opting to run for United States congress. Democrat Louie E. Lewis was elected to succeed him.

Democratic primary

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Treasurer Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Louie E. Lewis 749,665 51.26
Democratic Bruce A. Campbell 625,044 42.74
Democratic G. N. (Pat.) Keefe 87,860 6.01
Total votes 1,462,569 100

Republican primary

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Incumbent congressman William G. Stratton won the Republican nomination.

Treasurer Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican William R. McCauley 360,585 55.36
Republican Warren Wright 290,780 44.64
Total votes 651,365 100

General election

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Treasurer election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Louie E. Lewis 1,595,354 51.53
Democratic William R. McCauley 1,490,659 48.15
Prohibition Clay F. Gaumer 9,731 0.31
Write-in Others 4 0.00
Total votes 3,095,744 100

Superintendent of Public Instruction

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1938 Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction election
 
← 1934 November 8, 1938 1942 →
 
Nominee John A. Wieland Wiley B. Garvin
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,559,286½ 1,466,167
Percentage 51.35% 48.29%

Superintendent before election

John A. Wieland
Democratic

Elected Superintendent

John A. Wieland
Democratic

Incumbent first-term Superintendent of Public Instruction John A. Wieland, a Democrat, won reelection.

Democratic primary

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Superintendent of Public Instruction Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John A. Wieland (incumbent) 601,743 43.22
Democratic Frank A. Jensen 571,735 41.06
Democratic Thomas M. Enright 123,318 8.86
Democratic Elmer Henry Vogel 95,570 6.86
Total votes 1,392,366 100

Republican primary

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Superintendent of Public Instruction Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Wiley B. Garvin 586,199 100
Write-in Others 3 0.00
Total votes 586,202 100

General election

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Superintendent of Public Instruction election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic John A. Wieland (incumbent) 1,559,286½ 51.35
Republican Wiley B. Garvin 1,466,167 48.29
Prohibition J. Oliver Buswell, Jr. 10,971 0.36
Write-in Others 28 0.00
Total votes 3,036,452 100

Clerk of the Supreme Court

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1938 Illinois Clerk of the Supreme Court election
 
← 1932 November 8, 1938 1944 →
 
Nominee Adam F. Bloch George E. Lambur, Jr.
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 1,574,010 1,473,902
Percentage 51.47% 48.20%

Clerk before election

Adam F. Bloch
Democratic

Elected Clerk

Adam F. Bloch
Democratic

Incumbent first-term Clerk of the Supreme Court, Democrat Adam F. Bloch, was reelected.

Democratic primary

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Clerk of the Supreme Court Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adam F. Bloch 554,875 40.15
Democratic Walter J. Orlikoski 479,148 34.67
Democratic James E. Dolan 140,070 10.14
Democratic R. William Buckley 99,358 7.19
Democratic George Francis Keough 61,077 4.42
Democratic Rudolph E. Stastney 47,438 3.43
Total votes 1,381,966 100

Republican primary

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Clerk of the Supreme Court Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George E. Lambur, Jr. 238,612 37.53
Republican Charles W. Vail 179,995 28.31
Republican Shelton L. Smith 136,193 21.42
Republican Sanford F. Giles 80,970 12.74
Total votes 635,770 100

General election

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Clerk of the Supreme Court election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adam F. Bloch 1,574,010 51.47
Republican George E. Lambur, Jr. 1,473,902 48.20
Prohibition Harry D. Penwell 10,077 0.33
Write-in Others 3 0.00
Total votes 3,057,992 100

State Senate

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Seats in the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1938. Democrats retained control of the chamber.

State House of Representatives

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Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1938. Republicans flipped control of the chamber.

Trustees of University of Illinois

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1938 Trustees of University of Illinois election
← 1936 November 8, 1938 1940 →

An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois. All three Democratic nominees won.[1]

Incumbent first-term Democrats Orville M. Karraker and Karl A. Meyer were reelected.[1][2] New Democratic member Frank A. Jensen was also elected.[1][2]

Incumbent Democrat was Nellie V. Freeman was not renominated.[2]

Trustees of the University of Illinois election[1][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Dr. Karl A. Meyer (incumbent) 1,594,990 17.62
Democratic Frank A. Jensen 1,570,509½ 17.35
Democratic O. M. Karraker 1,520,824 16.80
Republican Albert I. Appleton 1,453,439½ 16.06
Republican Frank M. White 1,444,463 15.96
Republican Frank H. McKelvey 1,433,075½ 15.83
Prohibition Mildred E. Young 12,492½ 0.14
Prohibition Maude S. Stowell 11,400½ 0.13
Prohibition Lena Duell Vincen 10,636 0.12
Write-in Others 10 0.00
Total votes 9,051,840½ 100

Judicial elections

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Supreme Court

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On June 27, 1938, one district of the Supreme Court of Illinois had a special election.[1]

3rd district special election
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A special election was held for the seat of the court's 3rd district, after the death in office of Lott R. Herrick.[1] Republican Walter T. Gunn won the election.[1]

3rd district Supreme Court of Illinois special election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Walter T. Gunn 80,592 54.78
Democratic Joseph L. McLaughlin 66,525 45.22
Total votes 147,117 100

Ballot measure

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One ballot measure was put before voters in 1938, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment[1][3]

Illinois Banking Amendment

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The Illinois Banking Amendment, a proposed legislatively referred constitutional amendment to Sections 5, 6, 7 and 8, of Article XI of the 1870 Illinois Constitution, failed to meet the threshold for approval.[1][4] In order to be approved, legislatively referred constitutional amendments required approval equal to a majority of voters voting in the entire general election.[4][5]

If approved, this amendment would have made modifications to state banking rules that would have reduced the liability of bank stockholders.[4]

Illinois Banking Amendment[1][4]
Option Votes % of all ballots
cast
Yes 979,892 29.92
No 352,428 10.76
Total votes 1,332,320 40.68

Advisory referendum

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One advisory referendum ("question of public policy") was put before voters.[1][3]

National Draft for War on Foreign Soil Question

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An advisory question was voted on, which asked voters whether the states United States congressmen should vote against a national military draft. Those who voted overwhelmingly instructed congressmen to vote against a national military draft.[6]

National Draft for War on Foreign Soil Question[1]
Candidate Votes %
Yes 1,678,352 63.67
No 957,696 36.33
Total votes 2,636,048 100

Local elections

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Local elections were held.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "OFFICIAL VOTE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS CAST AT THE GENERAL ELECTION, November 8, 1938 JUDICIAL ELECTIONS, 1937-1938 PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, April 12, 1938" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved December 14, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ a b c d "Trustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees" (PDF). University of Illinois. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  3. ^ a b "Illinois 1938 ballot measures". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  4. ^ a b c d "Illinois Banking Amendment (1938)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 15, 2020.
  5. ^ Illinois Constitution of 1870 ARTICLE XIV Section 2
  6. ^ "Illinois National Draft for War on Foreign Soil Question (1938)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved December 15, 2020.