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| Turnout | 75.28% 4.11pp | |||||||||||||||||||
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 County results Walker: 40–50% 50–60% 60–70% Ogilvie: 50–60% 60–70% | ||||||||||||||||||||
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The1972 Illinois gubernatorial election was held inIllinois on November 7, 1972.[1]Incumbent first-termRepublicangovernorRichard B. Ogilvie lost reelection in an upset to theDemocratic nominee,Dan Walker.
This was the first election in which each party's nominee forlieutenant governor of Illinois ran on aticket with the gubernatorial nominee for the general election. Previously, there had been two separate elections for the two offices. This would be the last election of the 20th century in which a Democrat won the governorship of Illinois, with all seven remaining elections of that century being won by Republican nominees.
This was the first gubernatorial elections in which gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial candidates were elected on aticket in the general election, per the 1970 Constitution of Illinois.
The election coincided with those for federal offices (United States President,Senate, andHouse) and those for other state offices.[1] The election was part of the1972 Illinois elections. Walker was the last Democrat to be elected governor of Illinois for 30 years, untilRod Blagojevich was elected in2002.
The primaries were held on March 21, 1972.[1]
Turnout in the primaries saw 36.09% in the gubernatorial primaries, with a total of 2,015,694 votes cast, and 30.46% in the lieutenant gubernatorial primary, with 1,701,418 votes cast.[1] Turnout during the general election was 75.28%, with 4,679,043 votes cast.[1]
In an upset,Dan Walker won a close primary against then-Lt. GovernorPaul Simon. Paul Simon had been the candidate slated by the state party.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Daniel Walker | 735,193 | 51.41 | |
| Democratic | Paul Simon | 694,900 | 48.59 | |
| Write-in | 24 | 0.00 | ||
| Majority | 40,293 | 2.82 | ||
| Total votes | 1,430,117 | |||
Neil Hartigan, the candidate slated by the state party, defeatedCarbondale mayor Neal Eckert, Walker's declared preferred running-mate.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Neil F. Hartigan | 802,449 | 65.37 | |
| Democratic | Neal E. Eckert | 425,021 | 34.63 | |
| Write-in | 16 | 0.00 | ||
| Total votes | 1,227,486 | 100 | ||
Ogilvie won renomination easily. His main rival, John M. Mathis was a favorite son of thePeoria area, and fared poorly elsewhere.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | Richard B. Ogilvie (incumbent) | 442,323 | 75.54 | ||
| Republican | John M. Mathis | 143,053 | 24.43 | ||
| Write-in | 201 | 0.03 | |||
| Majority | 299,270 | 51.11 | |||
| Total votes | 585,577 | ||||
James D. Nowlan won the Republican primary for Lieutenant Governor, running unopposed.
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | James D. Nowlan | 473,916 | 100 | |
| Write-in | 16 | 0.00 | ||
| Total votes | 473,932 | 100 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Daniel Walker/Neil F. Hartigan | 2,371,303 | 50.68 | +2.31 | |
| Republican | Richard B. Ogilvie (incumbent)/James D. Nowlan | 2,293,809 | 49.02 | −2.19 | |
| Socialist Labor | George LaForest/Stanley L. Prorok | 7,966 | 0.17 | −0.26 | |
| Communist | Ishmael Flory/Theodore Pearson | 4,592 | 0.10 | N/A | |
| Write-in | 1,373 | 0.03 | N/A | ||
| Majority | 77,494 | 1.66 | −1.18 | ||
| Total votes | 4,679,043 | ||||
| Democraticgain fromRepublican | Swing | ||||
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