The general election saw turnout of 64.37%, with 1,774,961 ballots cast.[4] Chicago saw 63.17% turnout (with 902,514 ballots cast), and suburban Cook County saw 65.66% turnout (with 872,447 ballots cast).[1][4][5]
Ballots had astraight-ticket voting option in 1996.[1] This would be the last Cook County election with straight-ticket voting, as it would be abolished in Illinois in 1997.[6]
Few had seen Devine as having much prospect of unseating O'Malley, a popular incumbent who was regarded as a rising political star. Devine's strong victory over O'Malley was regarded as a very surprisingupset.[7]
Devine was regarded as having ridden thecoattails of a Democratic wave in Illinois which saw incumbent presidentBill Clinton and his vice presidentAl Gore carry the state by nearly twenty-points in the presidential election and Illinois also electDick Durbin in its U.S. Senate election.[7]
Even Devine himself expressed surprise at just how large his margin-of-victory was over O'Malley.[7]
In the1996Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election, three of the nine seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago board were up for election in an at-large election.[1] All three Democratic nominees won election.[1]
Pasrtisan elections were held for judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County due to vacancies.[1]Retention elections were also held for the Circuit Court.[1]
Partisan elections were also held for subcircuit courts judgeships due to vacancies.[1] Retention elections were held for other judgeships.[1]
Coinciding with the primaries, elections were held to elect both the Democratic, Republican, and Harold Washington Partycommitteemen for the wards of Chicago.[2]
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