Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 7, 1944.[1]

1944 Illinois elections

← 1942 November 7, 1944 1946 →

Primaries were held April 11, 1944.[1]

Election information

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Turnout

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In the primaries, 1,428,685 ballots were cast (635,487 Democratic and 793,198 Republican).[1]

In the general election, 4,079,024 ballots were cast.[1]

Federal elections

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United States President

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Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket of Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman.

United States Senate

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Incumbent Democrat Scott W. Lucas won reelection to a second term.

United States House

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All 26 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1944.

Democrats flipped four Republican-held seats, making the composition of Illinois' House delegation 15 Republicans and 11 Democrats.

State elections

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Governor

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1944 Illinois gubernatorial election
 
← 1940 November 7, 1944 1948 →
     
Nominee Dwight H. Green Thomas J. Courtney
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 2,013,270 1,940,999
Percentage 50.75% 48.93%

 
County Results

Green:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80%

Courtney:      50–60%      60–70%

Governor before election

Dwight H. Green
Republican

Elected Governor

Dwight H. Green
Republican

Incumbent Governor Dwight H. Green, a Republican, was reelected to a second term.

Democratic primary

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Gubernatorial Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Thomas J. Courtney 531,134 100
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 531,135 100

Republican primary

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Gubernatorial Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dwight H. Green (incumbent) 621,286 86.16
Republican Oscar E. Carlstrom 99,831 13.84
Total votes 721,117 100

General election

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Gubernatorial election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Dwight H. Green (incumbent) 2,013,270 50.75
Democratic Thomas J. Courtney 1,940,999 48.93
Socialist Labor Charles Storm 6,906 0.17
Prohibition Willis Ray Wilson 5,590 0.14
Total votes 3,966,765 100

Lieutenant governor

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1944 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election
 
← 1940 November 7, 1944 1948 →
 
Nominee Hugh W. Cross Edward C. Hunter
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,950,767 1,919,029
Percentage 50.25% 49.43%

Lieutenant Governor before election

Hugh W. Cross
Republican

Elected Lieutenant Governor

Hugh W. Cross
Republican

Incumbent lieutenant governor Hugh W. Cross, a Republican, was reelected to a second term.

Democratic primary

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Lieutenant gubernatorial Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Edward C. "Ted" Hunter 487,810 100
Total votes 487,810 100

Republican primary

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Lieutenant gubernatorial Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh W. Cross (incumbent) 613,829 100
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 613,830 100

General election

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Lieutenant gubernatorial election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Hugh W. Cross (incumbent) 1,950,767 50.25
Democratic Edward C. "Ted" Hunter 1,919,029 49.43
Socialist Labor Gregory P. Lyngas 6,816 0.18
Prohibition Henry Johnson Long 5,827 0.15
Total votes 3,882,439 100

Attorney general

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1944 Illinois Attorney General election
 
← 1940 November 7, 1944 1948 →
 
Nominee George F. Barrett Sveinbjorn Johnson
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,959,836 1,906,110
Percentage 50.53% 49.15%

Attorney General before election

George F. Barrett
Republican

Elected Attorney General

George F. Barrett
Republican

Incumbent attorney general George F. Barrett, a Republican, won reelection to second term.

Democratic primary

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Attorney General Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Sveinbjorn Johnson 467,934 100
Total votes 467,934 100

Republican primary

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Attorney General Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George F. Barrett (incumbent) 554,353 86.13
Republican Lloyd C. Moody 89,306 13.88
Total votes 643,659 100

General election

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Attorney General election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican George F. Barrett (incumbent) 1,959,836 50.53
Democratic Sveinbjorn Johnson 1,906,110 49.15
Socialist Labor Tony Berchon 6,658 0.17
Prohibition Frederick Juchhoff 5,729 0.15
Total votes 3,878,333 100

Secretary of State

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1944 Illinois Secretary of State election
 
← 1940 November 7, 1944 1948 →
 
Nominee Edward J. Barrett Arnold P. Benson
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,003,057 1,886,876
Percentage 51.33% 48.35%

Secretary of State before election

Richard Yates Rowe
Republican

Elected Secretary of State

Edward J. Barrett
Democratic

Incumbent third-term Secretary of State Edward J. Hughes, a Democrat, did not seek reelection. Hughes then died before the general election, and in June 1944, Richard Yates Rowe, a Republican, was appointed to fill the rest of his term. In the election, Democrat Edward J. Barrett was elected to permanently succeed them in office.

Democratic primary

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Secretary of State Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Edward J. Barrett 505,699 100
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 505,700 100

Republican primary

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Arnold P. Benson, the president pro tempore of the Illinois Senate, won the Republican primary, defeating incumbent Illinois Treasurer and former congressman William Stratton.

Secretary of State Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arnold P. Benson 401,040 57.00
Republican William G. Stratton 302,539 43.00
Total votes 703,579 100

General election

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Secretary of State election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Edward J. Barrett 2,003,057 51.33
Republican Arnold P. Benson 1,886,876 48.35
Socialist Labor Louis Fisher 6,927 0.18
Prohibition Robert W. Melven 5,740 0.15
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 3,902,601 100

Auditor of Public Accounts

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1944 Illinois Auditor of Public Accounts election
 
← 1940 November 7, 1944 1948 →
     
Nominee Arthur C. Lueder William Vicars
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,951,828 1,910,269
Percentage 50.37% 49.30%

Auditor of Public Accounts before election

Arthur C. Lueder
Republican

Elected Auditor of Public Accounts

Arthur C. Lueder
Republican

Incumbent Auditor of Public Accounts Arthur C. Lueder, a Republican, was reelected to a second term.

Democratic primary

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Auditor of Public Accounts Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic William Vicars 468,933 100
Total votes 468,933 100

Republican primary

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Auditor of Public Accounts Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arthur C. Lueder (incumbent) 606,531 100
Total votes 606,531 100

General election

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Auditor of Public Accounts election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Arthur C. Lueder (incumbent) 1,951,828 50.37
Democratic William Vicars 1,910,269 49.30
Socialist Labor O. Alfred Olson 7,132 0.18
Prohibition Arthur McFall 5,808 0.15
Total votes 3,875,037 100

Treasurer

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1944 Illinois State Treasurer election
 
← 1942 November 7, 1944 1946 →
 
Nominee Conrad F. Becker Earl W. Merritt
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,933,705 1,918,595
Percentage 50.03% 49.64%

Treasurer before election

William G. Stratton
Republican

Elected Treasurer

Conrad F. Becker
Republican

Incumbent first-term Treasurer William G. Stratton, a Republican, did not seek reelection, instead opting to run for Secretary of State. Republican Conrad F. Becker was elected to succeed him in office.

Democratic primary

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Treasurer Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Earl W. Merritt 471,294 100
Total votes 471,294 100

Republican primary

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Treasurer Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Conrad F. Becker 422,336 67.29
Republican Walter W. Waite 117,506 18.72
Republican Taylor E. Wilhelm 87,791 13.99
Write-in Others 1 0.00
Total votes 627,633 100

General election

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Treasurer election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Conrad F. Becker 1,933,705 50.03
Democratic Earl W. Merritt 1,918,595 49.64
Socialist Labor Gus Larson 7,071 0.18
Prohibition William J. Goodman 5,838 0.15
Total votes 3,865,209 100

Clerk of the Supreme Court

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1944 Illinois Clerk of the Supreme Court election
 
← 1938 November 7, 1944 1950 →
 
Nominee Earle Benjamin Searcy Casimir Griglik
Party Republican Democratic
Popular vote 1,953,537 1,885,321
Percentage 50.72% 48.95%

Clerk before election

Edward F. Cullinane
Democratic

Elected Clerk

Earle Benjamin Searcy
Republican

Incumbent Clerk of the Supreme Court Edward F. Cullinane, a Democrat appointed to the office in 1940 after the death in office of Adam F. Bloch, did not seek reelection.[1][2] Republican Earle Benjamin Searcy was elected to succeed him in office.

Democratic primary

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Clerk of the Supreme Court Democratic primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Casimir Griglik 465,397 100
Total votes 465,397 100

Republican primary

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Clerk of the Supreme Court Republican primary[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Earle Benjamin Searcy 585,325 100
Total votes 585,325 100

General election

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Clerk of the Supreme Court election[1]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Earle Benjamin Searcy 1,953,537 50.72
Democratic Casimir Griglik 1,885,321 48.95
Socialist Labor Rudy Kosic 6,798 0.18
Prohibition Harry A. Varney 5,774 0.15
Total votes 3,851,430 100

State Senate

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Seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1944. Republicans 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 1944. Republicans retained control of the chamber.

Trustees of University of Illinois

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1944 Trustees of University of Illinois election
← 1942 November 7, 1944 1946 →

3 out of 9 seats on the University of Illinois Board of Trustees
5 seats needed for a majority
  Majority party Minority party
 
Party Republican Democratic
Seats before 6 3
Seats after 6 3
Seat change    
Popular vote 5,650,742½ 5,809,521½
Percentage 49.14% 50.52%
Swing   4.43%   4.49%
Seats up 0 3
Races won 0 3

[1][3][4]

An election was held for three of the nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois.[1] The election was for six-year terms. All three Democratic nominees won. However, since all three seats up for election were already held by Democrats, the partisan composition of the University of Illinois Board of Trustees remained unchanged, with a 9–3 Republican majority over Democrats.

Democratic incumbent Karl A. Meyer was reelected to a third term.[3] Democratic incumbent Kenny E. Williamson, who had been appointed to fill a vacancy in 1940 was reelected to his first full term.[3] New Democratic member Walter W. McLaughlin was also elected.[3] First-term Democratic incumbent Frank A. Jensen was not nominated for reelection.[1][3]

Trustees of the University of Illinois election[1][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Walter W. McLaughlin 1,944,733½ 16.91
Democratic Karl A. Meyer (incumbent) 1,941,038 16.88
Democratic Kenney E. Williamson (incumbent) 1,923,750 16.73
Republican Charles L. Engstrom 1,899,495½ 16.52
Republican Charles S. Pillsbury 1,888,459½ 16.42
Republican Charles Wham 1,862,787½ 16.20
Socialist Labor Helen Olson 7,269½ 0.06
Socialist Labor Nada Mijanovich 7,045 0.06
Socialist Labor Gabriele McKenzie 6,806 0.06
Prohibition Mildred E. Young 6,083½ 0.05
Prohibition Alonzo L. Parrott 5,956 0.05
Prohibition Clay Freeman Gaumer 5,866 0.05
Total votes 11,499,290 100

Ballot measures

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Two ballot measures were put before voters in 1944. One was a legislatively referred state statute and one was a legislatively referred constitutional amendment.

In order to be approved, legislatively referred state statues required the support of a majority of those voting on the statute. In order to be approved, legislatively referred constitutional amendments required approval equal to a majority of voters voting in the entire general election.[5]

Illinois County Officer Term Limit Amendment

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Illinois County Officer Term Limit Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which would have amended Section 8 of Article X of the Constitution of the 1870 Constitution of Illinois, failed to meet the threshold for approval.[1][6]

The amendment would have removed a constitutional provision requiring elected county officers to wait for four years after their term expired before they would be eligible to hold that same office again.[6]

Illinois County Officer Term Limit Amendment[1][6]
Option Votes % of all ballots
cast
Yes 898,107 22.02
No 653,877 16.03
Total votes 1,551,984 38.05

Illinois General Banking Law Amendment

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The Illinois General Banking Law Amendment, a legislatively referred state statute which amended section 10 of the Illinois General Banking Law, was approved by voters.[1][7]

Illinois General Banking Law Amendment[1][7]
Candidate Votes %
Yes 973,159 69.12
No 434,767 30.88
Total votes 1,407,926 100

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 aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah "OFFICIAL VOTE of the STATE OF ILLINOIS Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION, November 7, 1944 PRIMARY ELECTION General Primary, April 11, 1944" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 2, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  2. ^ "Rosters of Government Officials" (PDF). State of Illinois. Retrieved August 3, 2020.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Trustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees" (PDF). University of Illinois. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  4. ^ "OFFICIAL VOTE of the STATE OF ILLINOIS Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION, November 3, 1942 JUDICIAL ELECTIONS, 1941-1942 PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, April 14, 1942" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved August 4, 2020.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Illinois Constitution of 1870 ARTICLE XIV Section 2
  6. ^ a b c "Illinois County Officer Term Limit Amendment (1944)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Illinois General Banking Law Amendment (1944)". Ballotpedia. Retrieved August 4, 2020.