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Elections were held inIllinois on Tuesday, November 7, 1950.[1]
Primaries were held April 11, 1950.[1]
1950 was amidterm election year in the United States.
In the primary election 1,789,787 ballots were cast (912,563 Democratic and 877,224 Republican).[1]
In the general election 3,731,618 ballots were cast.[1][2]
IncumbentSenate Majority LeaderScott W. Lucas, a two-term incumbent Democratic senator, lost reelection to RepublicanEverett Dirksen.
All 26 Illinois seats in theUnited States House of Representatives were up for election in 1950.
Republicans flipped four Republican-held seats, leaving the Illinois House delegation to consist of 18 Republicans and 8 Democrats.
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 County results Stratton: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Howlett: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent first-termTreasurer, DemocratOra Smith, did not seek reelection, instead running for Clerk of the Supreme Court. RepublicanWilliam Stratton was elected to succeed him, earning Stratton a second non-consecutive term as Treasurer.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Michael Howlett | 680,161 | 100 | |
| Write-in | Others | 3 | 0.00 | |
| Total votes | 680,164 | 100 | ||
Former Illinois Treasurer and congressmanWilliam Stratton won the Republican primary. He defeatedCook County Treasurer Louis E. Nelson,[3] former congressmanJames Simpson Jr., fellow former Illinois TreasurerWarren E. Wright, Chicago aldermanTheron W. Merryman,[4] among others.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William G. Stratton | 290,242 | 38.54 | |
| Republican | Louis E. Nelson | 214,113 | 28.43 | |
| Republican | James Simpson | 126,122 | 16.75 | |
| Republican | Warren E. Wright | 61,103 | 8.11 | |
| Republican | Theron W. Merryman | 25,194 | 3.35 | |
| Republican | Herbert B. Blanchard | 23,556 | 3.13 | |
| Republican | Henry J. Samuel | 12,864 | 1.71 | |
| Total votes | 753,194 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William G. Stratton | 1,959,734 | 55.34 | |
| Democratic | Michael Howlett | 1,568,765 | 44.30 | |
| Prohibition | Enoch A. Holtwick | 13,050 | 0.37 | |
| Write-in | Others | 9 | 0.00 | |
| Total votes | 3,541,558 | 100 | ||
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 County results Nickell: 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% 80–90% Engle: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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IncumbentSuperintendent of Public InstructionVernon L. Nickell, a Republican, was reelected to a third term.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | C. Hobart Engle | 475,461 | 100 | |
| Democratic | Mark A. Peterman | 218,021 | 100 | |
| Write-in | Others | 1 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 693,483 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Vernon L. Nickell (incumbent) | 521,759 | 74.41 | |
| Republican | Clyde Franklin Burgess | 179,415 | 25.59 | |
| Total votes | 701,174 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Vernon L. Nickell (incumbent) | 1,995,495 | 56.77 | |
| Democratic | C. Hobart Engle | 1,505,257 | 42.82 | |
| Prohibition | Henry L. Lundquist | 14,298 | 0.41 | |
| Total votes | 3,515,050 | 100 | ||
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 County results Searcy: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% 70–80% Smith: 50–60% | |||||||||||||||||
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Incumbent Clerk of theSupreme CourtEarle Benjamin Searcy, a Republican, was reelected.
Illinois TreasurerOra Smith won the Democratic primary, running unopposed.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Ora Smith | 674,744 | 100 | |
| Write-in | Others | 2 | 0.00 | |
| Total votes | 674,746 | 100 | ||
IncumbentEarle Benjamin Searcy won the Republican primary, defeating three challengers.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Earle Benjamin Searcy (incumbent) | 382,131 | 55.90 | |
| Republican | William H. Brown | 153,943 | 22.52 | |
| Republican | George C. Moffat | 91,004 | 13.31 | |
| Republican | Eugene T. Devitt | 56,482 | 8.26 | |
| Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 | |
| Total votes | 683,561 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Earle Benjamin Searcy (incumbent) | 1,905,704 | 54.42 | |
| Democratic | James P. Alexander | 1,584,162 | 45.23 | |
| Prohibition | Irving B. Gilbert | 12,291 | 0.35 | |
| Write-in | Others | 1 | 0.00 | |
| Total votes | 3,502,158 | 100 | ||
Seats in theIllinois Senate were up for election in 1950. Republicans flipped control of the chamber.
Seats in theIllinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1950. Republicans remained in control of the chamber.
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An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees ofUniversity of Illinois.
New Republican membersHarold "Red" Grange Wayne A. Johnston, and Herbert B. Megran were elected.[1][5]
Second-term Democrat Karl A. Meyer lost reelection.[1][5] Democrat Kenney E. Williamson (serving his first full, and second overall term) also lost reelection.[1][5] Incumbent first-term Democrat Walter W. McLaughlin was not nominated for reelection, with former memberHarold Pogue nominated instead.[1][5]
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Harold "Red" Grange | 1,945,936 | 18.72 | |
| Republican | Wayne A. Johnston | 1,895,867 | 18.24 | |
| Republican | Herbert B. Megran | 1,852,747 | 17.83 | |
| Democratic | Dr. Karl A. Meyer (incumbent) | 1,648,772 | 15.86 | |
| Democratic | Kenney E. Williamson (incumbent) | 1,533,087 | 14.75 | |
| Democratic | Harold Pogue | 1,517,449 | 14.60 | |
| Prohibition | Olive R. Wilson | 12,446½ | 0.12 | |
| Prohibition | Edward N. Himmel | 12,382½ | 0.12 | |
| Prohibition | Albert F. Schersten | 11,766½ | 0.11 | |
| Total votes | 10,393,858 | 100 | ||
On April 11, twospecial elections were held, one to fill a vacancy of the Circuit Court of Cook County and one to fill a vacancy on theSuperior Court of Cook County.
One measure was put before voters in 1950, alegislatively referred constitutional amendment.
In order to be approved, it required approval equal to a majority of voters voting in the entire general election.[6]
The Illinois Gateway Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to Section 2 of Article XIV of the Constitution, was approved by voters.[1][7] It made it so that the legislature would be able to propose modifications of up to three articles of the constitution per session, and also made it so that future constitutional amendments would require either a two-thirds vote of the voters voting on the question or a majority of voter voting in the election.[7]
| Illinois Gateway Amendment[1] | ||
|---|---|---|
| Option | Votes on measure | % of all ballots cast |
| Yes | 2,512,323 | 67.33 |
| No | 735,903 | 19.72 |
| Total votes | 3,248,226 | 87.05 |
Local elections were held. Results happened.
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