As a state that has been nicknamed the Prairie State, Illinois has been one of those that have influenced American presidential and national politics since it joined the Union in 1818. The prominence of Illinois correlates with such factors as its sharp industrial cities, fertile agricultural lands, and the population of numerous large cities, which have reflected the trends of American national politics in voting.
The history of the presidency has been influenced by various events such as the election of Abraham Lincoln, the establishment of the Republican Party, eras of Republican strength, Democratic dominance during the New Deal, and most recently, a continuous trend of Democratic backing.
Illinois first participated in a presidential election in 1820, when voters cast three electoral votes for incumbent President James Monroe, who was running essentially unopposed.
Over the next two centuries, Illinois would experience several dramatic changes in its presidential voting patterns.
Early Presidential Elections
Illinois first got involved in the presidential elections at a time when the political parties were still emerging. For the 1824 elections, the state was split between several candidates due to the collapse of the Democratic-Republican Party.
In Illinois, John Quincy Adams received the highest number of votes. Andrew Jackson had the support of many voters as well. Illinois was operating an electoral voting system based on districts, and from a total of three electoral votes, Jackson received two and Adams one. The nationwide election process in the end yielded the election of Adams as president.
Andrew Jackson subsequently dominated Illinois in 1828 and 1832. Jackson won approximately 67 percent of the Illinois vote in 1828 and more than 68 percent in 1832.
The state remained politically competitive during the following decades. William Henry Harrison carried Illinois in 1840.
However, in 1844, Democrat James K. Polk won Illinois. The state also supported Democrat Franklin Pierce in 1852, even as the divisive issue of slavery was starting to change the political landscape of America.
Abraham Lincoln and the Election of 1860
Few presidential elections are more closely associated with Illinois than the election of 1860.
By that time, the Republican Party had emerged as a major political force, particularly in the Northern states. Illinois Republican Abraham Lincoln became the party’s presidential nominee after defeating several prominent contenders at the Republican National Convention.
Lincoln faced Democrat Stephen A. Douglas, Southern Democrat John C. Breckinridge, and Constitutional Union candidate John Bell.
Illinois became a critical battleground between Lincoln and Douglas, who was also from Illinois. Lincoln ultimately won the state with approximately 50.7 percent of the vote, compared with 47.2 percent for Douglas. Lincoln received all 11 of Illinois’ electoral votes.
Nationally, Lincoln won the presidency despite receiving less than 40 percent of the popular vote because his support was concentrated across much of the North. His election was followed by secession and ultimately the Civil War.
Illinois witnessed the creation of an enduring bond between the state and Lincoln’s presidency. Springfield, which served as the birthplace of Lincoln’s active career before his presidency, would henceforward be synonymous with one of America’s great political personalities.
Republican Illinois
Following the Civil War, Illinois became an important Republican stronghold.
Lincoln’s Republican successor, Ulysses S. Grant, carried Illinois in both 1868 and 1872. Rutherford B. Hayes won the state in 1876, while James A. Garfield carried Illinois in 1880 with more than 51 percent of the vote.
The Republican Party’s strength was tied in part to the state’s growing industrial economy, expanding cities and Northern political identity following the Civil War.
The pattern was not absolute. Republican James G. Blaine carried Illinois in 1884, although Democrat Grover Cleveland remained competitive in the state.
Four years later, Republican Benjamin Harrison narrowly carried Illinois over Cleveland, receiving approximately 49.5 percent of the vote compared with Cleveland’s 46.6 percent.
The Progressive Era and the Great Depression
Illinois remained competitive during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as new political movements emerged.
The state’s large urban population, particularly in Chicago, increasingly influenced its political identity. Industrialization and immigration also contributed to changing political coalitions.
Republicans remained powerful nationally and in Illinois for much of the period, but Democrats began gaining strength in major cities.
The Great Depression dramatically altered the national political landscape.
Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Democratic Party benefited from the economic crisis and the New Deal coalition. Illinois became increasingly receptive to Democratic presidential candidates as working-class voters, urban voters and other constituencies moved toward the Democratic Party.
Roosevelt carried Illinois in all four of his presidential campaigns. His victories helped establish a period of Democratic strength that would continue through the 1940s.
Illinois and the Republican Revival
The Democratic advantage did not last indefinitely.
Following World War II, Illinois became one of the country’s important presidential battlegrounds. Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower carried the state in 1952 and 1956, beginning a period in which Illinois frequently supported Republican presidential nominees.
Illinois narrowly supported Democrat John F. Kennedy in 1960, although Republican Richard Nixon came within a fraction of a percentage point of winning the state.
Illinois supported Republican candidates again in 1968 and 1972. Richard Nixon’s 1972 reelection campaign was particularly strong nationally, and Illinois followed the Republican landslide.
Democrat Jimmy Carter won the presidency in 1976, but Republican Gerald Ford narrowly carried Illinois, continuing the state’s competitive presidential pattern. Republican Ronald Reagan won the state by single digits in 1980 and won it again decisively in 1984.
In 1988, George H.W. Bush became the last Republican presidential nominee to carry Illinois, albeit narrowly.
Democrats Return
The political landscape began changing again in 1992.
Democratic nominee Bill Clinton carried Illinois over incumbent Republican President George H.W. Bush and independent candidate Ross Perot. Clinton also won Illinois in 1996.
The victories were significant because they marked the beginning of an uninterrupted Democratic winning streak in presidential elections that continues today.
In 2000, Illinois supported Democrat Al Gore over Republican George W. Bush, even as Bush won the presidency after the highly disputed Florida results.
Four years later, Illinois again backed the Democratic nominee, John Kerry, despite Bush winning reelection nationally.
Barack Obama and Illinois
The state’s relationship with Barack Obama added another important chapter to Illinois presidential history.
Obama represented Illinois in the U.S. Senate before becoming the Democratic nominee for president in 2008. His political career in the state made Illinois a particularly important part of his presidential story.
In the 2008 general election, Obama won Illinois with more than 61 percent of the vote, defeating Republican John McCain. The Illinois State Board of Elections recorded 3,419,348 votes for Obama and 2,031,179 for McCain.
Obama carried Illinois again in 2012. He received approximately 57.6 percent of the vote, compared with 40.7 percent for Republican Mitt Romney.
Obama’s victories reinforced Illinois’ position as a reliably Democratic presidential state.
Recent Presidential Elections
Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton continued the state’s Democratic streak in 2016.
Clinton received 55.83 percent of the Illinois vote, while Republican Donald Trump received 38.76 percent.
In 2020, Illinois again voted decisively Democratic. Joe Biden received 3,471,915 votes, or 57.54 percent, compared with Trump’s 2,446,891 votes, or 40.55 percent.
The 2024 presidential election produced another Democratic victory.
Vice President Kamala Harris received 3,062,863 votes, or 54.37 percent, in Illinois. Trump received 2,449,079 votes, or 43.47 percent. Harris therefore carried Illinois by approximately 11 percentage points.
The result continued a Democratic presidential winning streak that began with Bill Clinton’s victory in 1992.
Illinois Today
Illinois has changed considerably since its first presidential election in 1820.
The state began as a young Midwestern state with a relatively small population and a developing political system. It later became one of the nation’s most important industrial and agricultural states and eventually developed one of the country’s largest metropolitan areas in Chicago.
Its presidential voting history reflects those changes.
Illinois has moved from the early Democratic-Republican politics of the 1820s, through Democratic and Whig competition, into the Republican dominance that followed the Civil War. It then moved toward the Democratic coalition during the Great Depression before becoming a competitive Republican-leaning state during much of the second half of the twentieth century.
Since 1992, however, Illinois has consistently supported Democratic presidential nominees. According to election-history data, the state has voted Democratic in nine consecutive presidential elections from 1992 through 2024.
Illinois has 19 electoral votes under the allocation based on the 2020 Census. Ohio has 17. The National Archives’ official 2024 Electoral College allocation lists Illinois with 19 and Ohio with 17.
Illinois’ presidential history ultimately demonstrates that political identities are not permanent. The Prairie State has repeatedly changed political direction as the country’s economy, demographics, parties and major national issues have evolved.
From Abraham Lincoln’s historic victory in 1860 to Barack Obama’s Illinois roots and the state’s continued Democratic voting pattern in the twenty-first century, Illinois has remained an important part of the story of American presidential elections.
Sources:
Illinois State Board of Elections — Election Results
The American Presidency Project — 1860 Presidential Election
National Archives — 2024 Electoral College Results
The American Presidency Project — Presidential Election Statistics
Library of Congress — Abraham Lincoln Timeline
The American Presidency Project — 1884 Presidential Election
Editor’s Disclaimer: This article provides a historical overview of Illinois’ presidential election history and is intended for informational and educational purposes. Election results, electoral vote allocations, and historical information are based on publicly available records from official government agencies, historical institutions, and established research sources. While every effort has been made to ensure accuracy, historical records and election data may vary slightly among sources due to differences in reporting and methodology. This article is not intended to endorse or oppose any political party, candidate, or political position.
