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Summary of Illinois General Election Results

The Illinois Association of REALTORS® Government Affairs staff provides this summary of the November 4 General Election results. In some of these districts the numbers available this morning were not complete. Please be advised that the State Board of Elections will not be certifying the results for about a month, and until that time these results are "unofficial." 

President and Vice President of the United States

  • Barack Obama/Joe Biden (D)  3,265,509 (62%) 
  • John McCain/Sarah Palin (R) 1,970,622 (37%)
  • Nader/Gonzalez (Independent) 30,311 (1%)
  • Barr/Root (Libertarian) 19,004 (< 1%)
  • McKinney/Clemente (Green) 11,562 (< 1%)
  • Baldwin/Castle (Constitutional) 8,076 (< 1%)

  • Polachek (New) 1,212 (< 1%)

    99% of the precincts reporting 

     

United States Senate

Incumbent Senator Dick Durbin (D) handily defeated Steve Sauerberg (R). Both Illinois Senate seats are Democratic. The Governor will appoint a replacement for President-Elect Barack Obama. 

  • Dick Durbin (D) 2,817,296  (63%)
  • Steve Sauerberg (R) 1,472,506 (33%)
  • Kathy Cummings (Green) 115,020 ( 3%)
  • Larry Stafford (Libertarian) 48,468 (  1%)

  • Chad Koppie (Constitution) 23,367 (  1%)

    99% of the precincts reporting

     

United States House of Representatives

  • All 19 Congressional seats were up in 2008.
  • Pre-election split: 11 Democrats / 8 Republicans
  • Post-election split: 12 Democrats /7 Republicans
  • All of the incumbents won their races.  There were two open seats.
  • Democrat Debbie Halvorson picked up the gain for Democrats in the 11th District open seat. Republican Aaron Schock held the seat for the Republicans in the 18th District open seat.
     

The NAR RPAC Trustees conducted six “Opportunity Races” in the Illinois Congressional delegation.  All six won their seats.

There is STRONG speculation that President-Elect Barack Obama will tap Congressman Rahm Emanuel from the 5th Congressional District to be his chief of staff at the White House. Should this occur, under the provisions of Illinois law there must be a special election to fill the vacancy.  According to the Election Code:

  • “When any vacancy shall occur in the office of representative in congress from this state more than 180 days before the next general election, the Governor shall issue a writ of election within 5 days after the occurrence of that vacancy to the county clerks of the several counties in the district where the vacancy exists, appointing a day within 115 days to hold a special election to fill such vacancy.”

 

Illinois House

  • All 118 seats were up in the 2008 general election.
  • There were 58 “safe” districts where the seat was uncontested. This represents 49 percent of the races.
  • Pre-election split: 67 Democrats / 51 Republicans
  • Post-election split: 70 Democrats / 48 Republicans
     

There were 10 open seats this year. Democrats held four of these seats electing new Democratic members in the 21st District (Michael Zalewski), 26th (Will Burns), 32nd (Andre Thapedi), and the 40th (Deborah Mell). Republicans held 3 of these seats electing new Republican members in the 48th District (Michael Connelly), 50th (Kay Hatcher), and the 96th (Darlene Senger). Democrats picked up two Republican seats in the 66th District (Mark Walker) and the 92nd District (Jehan Gordon) and the Republicans picked up one Democrat seat in the 107th District (John Cavaletto) 

Two incumbent Republican House members lost in the general election: Republican Ruth Munson lost in a tight three-way race to the Democratic challenger, Keith Farnham, in the 43rd District.

Republican Brent Hassert lost by a large margin to the Democratic challenger, Emily Klunk-McAsey in the 85th District.

The IAR RPAC Trustees conducted eight “Opportunity Races” in the Illinois House of Representatives. Six won their seats, two lost. 

  • Candidate Will Burns (D) WON in the 26th House District
  • Representative Fred Crespo (D) WON in the 44th House District
  • Representative Dennis Reboletti (R) WON in the 46th House District
  • Candidate Kay Hatcher (R) WON in the 50th House District
  • Candidate Mark Walker (D) WON in the 66th House District
  • Representative Ron Wait (R) WON in the 69th House District
  • Representative Brent Hassert (R) Lost in the 85th House District
  • Candidate Joan Krupa (R) LOST in the 92nd House District
 

Illinois Senate

  • 40 of the 59 seats were up in the 2008 general election.
  • There were 19 safe districts where the seat was uncontested. This represents 48 percent of the races.
  • Pre-election split: 37 Democrats/ 22 Republicans
  • Post-election split: 37 Democrats/ 22 Republicans        

There are two open seats this year.  In the 14th District Democrat Emil Jones III held the seat for the Democrats. In the 26th District Republican Dan Duffy held the seat for the Republicans.

No incumbent State Senators were defeated, however Democrat Debbie Halvorson won the Congressional Seat from the 11th District and she will be replaced by the local Democrat party leaders from her current State Senate district.

The IAR RPAC Trustees conducted four “Opportunity Races” in the Illinois State Senate. All four won their seats.

  • Candidate Dan Duffy (R) WON in the 26th Senate District
  • Senator Matt Murphy (R) WON in the 27th Senate District
  • Senator Dan Kotowski (D) WON in the 33rd Senate District
  • Senator Linda Holmes (D) WON in the 42nd Senate District

Of particular note for the new Senate of the 96th General Assembly to be sworn in January 2009—both the Democratic and Republican caucuses will have new leaders.  Current Senate President Emil Jones, Jr. did not seek re-election to the Senate and current Republican leader Frank Watson, due to recent health issues, will not seek the post as Republican leader.  Senator Watson WILL remain in the Senate, representing the 51st District.

 

Local Referenda

Home Rule was DEFEATED in:

Prospect Heights (Cook County)

YES     1,996  (41.17%)           

NO      2,852  (58.83%)         

 

Home Rule was APPROVED in:

New Lenox (Will County)

YES     7,728  (68.69%)           

NO      3,522  (31.31%)           

 

Real Estate Transfer Tax INCREASE was DEFEATED in:

West Dundee (Kane County)

YES     1,150  (34.31%)         

NO      2,016  (60.14%)                     

 

Champaign County 1 Cent Sales Tax Increase for Schools was DEFEATED in:

Champaign County

YES     38,128  (49.80%) 

NO      38,428  (50.20%)

 

Nomination of lands/structures-National Register of Historic Places-Advisory

Kenilworth (Cook County)

YES           531  (36.39%)

NO            928  (63.16%)

 

Local Opportunity Races

The IAR RPAC Trustees conducted five “Opportunity Races” for local candidates. Three won their elections.

WILL COUNTY –CLERK OF THE CIRCUIT COURT

REALTOR® Karen Callanan LOST bid for election

Pam McGuire (D)         156,015 (60.18%)

Karen Callanan (R)       103,247 (39.82%)

 

WILL COUNTY BOARD (multi-member districts)

REALTOR® Jim Bilotta-  WON in District 7  14,072 (18.71%)

Jim Moustis- WON in District 2  15,478 (20.03%)

Wayne McMillan-  LOST in District 4 10,217 (15.27%)

 

CHAMPAIGN COUNTY BOARD

REALTOR® Alan Nudo- WON in District 3

Alan Nudo (R)    7,271  (60.64%)

Margaret Wright (D)   4,720  (39.36%)

 

Constitutional Convention

The Constitutional Convention question was soundly defeated.

YES 1,924,165 (42%)

NO 2,671,635 (58%)

 

With 11488 of 11585 precincts reporting

 

Report submitted by Julie Sullivan, Assistant Director, Legislative and Political Affairs, 11-05-08