Illinois gubernatorial election, 1976
Illinois gubernatorial election, 1976
![Illinois](../I/m/Flag_of_Illinois.svg.png)
|
|
|
![](../I/m/Illinois_gubernatorial_election%2C_1976.svg.png)
|
Red denotes a county carried by Thompson, Blue by Howlett. |
|
Gubernatorial elections were held in Illinois in November 1976. Incumbent Governor Dan Walker lost renomination in favor of Secretary of State Michael J. Howlett, who was a Daley ally. Howlett then lost the general election to Republican James R. Thompson. This election was for a two-year term which would synchronize future gubernatorial elections with midterm election years, rather than presidential election years.
Results
1976 gubernatorial election, Illinois[1]
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
± |
|
Republican |
James R. Thompson |
3,000,365 |
64.68 |
|
|
Democratic |
Michael J. Howlett |
1,610,258 |
34.71 |
|
|
Communist |
Ishmael Flory |
10,091 |
0.22 |
|
|
Libertarian |
F. Joseph McCaffrey |
7,552 |
0.16 |
|
|
Socialist Workers |
Suzanne Haig |
4,926 |
0.11 |
|
|
Socialist Labor |
George LaForest |
3,147 |
0.07 |
|
|
U.S. Labor |
Edward Waffle |
2,302 |
0.05 |
|
|
N/A |
write-ins |
369 |
0.01 |
n-a |
Majority |
1,390,137 |
29.97 |
|
Turnout |
3,150,107 |
|
|
|
Republican gain from Democratic |
Swing |
|
|
Democratic Primary
The incumbent Governor, Dan Walker, had a contentious relationship with the Daley Machine, which backed Secretary of State Michael J. Howlett. Walker carried most of the state's counties, but Howlett carried Cook county by a wide margin and was ultimately nominated.
![](../I/m/Il_Dem_Gub_primary_1976.png)
Dark Blue denotes a county carried by Howlett, and Light Blue by Walker.
Republican Primary
Thompson won the Republican Primary in a landslide, carrying every county.
References
Elections in Illinois |
---|
![](../I/m/Seal_of_Illinois.svg.png) |
Presidential elections |
---|
|
U.S. Senate elections |
---|
|
U.S. House elections |
---|
|
Special elections |
---|
|
|
Gubernatorial elections |
---|
|
State Senate elections |
---|
|
State House of Representatives elections |
---|
|
General elections |
---|
|
|
|
Mayoral elections |
---|
|
Council elections |
---|
|
|
|