1940 Illinois gubernatorial election

The 1940 Illinois gubernatorial election was held on November 5, 1940.

1940 Illinois gubernatorial election

November 5, 1940

Nominee Dwight H. Green Harry B. Hershey Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 2,197,778 1,940,833 Percentage 52.93% 46.74%

Governor before election John Henry Stelle Democratic Elected Governor Dwight H. Green Republican

Incumbent Democratic Governor Henry Horner chose not to run for re-election. Horner died in October 1940 and was succeeded by Lieutenant Governor John Henry Stelle, who had already been defeated in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in April 1940.

Republican nominee Dwight H. Green defeated Democratic nominee Harry B. Hershey with 52.93% of the vote.

Primary elections

Primary elections were held on April 9, 1940.

Democratic primary

Governor

Candidates

• Harry B. Hershey, former Mayor of Taylorville
• Albert Lagerstedt, unsuccessful candidate for Democratic nomination in 1938 United States Senate election in Illinois
• Robert W. McKinlay
• James O. Monroe, perennial candidate
• John H. Stelle, incumbent Lieutenant Governor

Results

Democratic primary results[1][2][3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Harry B. Hershey	815,604	59.73
	Democratic	John H. Stelle	484,454	35.48
	Democratic	Robert W. McKinlay	27,593	2.02
	Democratic	James O. Monroe	24,862	1.82
	Democratic	Albert Lagerstedt	12,925	0.95
		Write-ins	2	0.00
Total votes			1,365,440	100.00

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates

• Louie E. Lewis, incumbent Illinois Treasurer
• George M. Maypole, State Senator

Results

Democratic primary results[4][5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Democratic	Louie E. Lewis	945,586	77.47
	Democratic	George M. Maypole	275,016	22.53
Total votes			1,220,602	100.00

Republican primary

Governor

Candidates

• Dwight H. Green, candidate for Mayor of Chicago in 1939
• Richard J. Lyons, former State Representative

Results

Republican primary results[1][6][7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Dwight H. Green	610,025	57.14
	Republican	Richard J. Lyons	457,643	42.86
Total votes			1,067,668	100.00

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates

• John V. Clinnin, unsuccessful candidate for Republican nomination for Lieutenant Governor in 1936
• Guy C. Crapple
• Hugh W. Cross, State Representative
• Charles Hindley
• William C. Jerome
• Arnold L. Lund, candidate for the 6th congressional district in 1934
• Earle B. Searcy, State Senator[8]

Results

Republican primary results[4][9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Republican	Hugh W. Cross	390,941	41.53
	Republican	Arnold L. Lund	216,471	22.99
	Republican	Earle B. Searcy	168,692	17.92
	Republican	John V. Clinnin	61,049	6.49
	Republican	Charles Hindley	43,461	4.62
	Republican	William C. Jerome	40,671	4.32
	Republican	Guy C. Crapple	20,132	2.14
		Write-ins	1	0.00
Total votes			941,418	100.00

General election

Governor

Candidates

• Dwight H. Green, Republican
• Harry B. Hershey, Democratic
• Clay Freeman Gaumer, Prohibition, perennial candidate
• Arthur G. McDowell, Socialist, National Labor Secretary of the Socialist Party of America[10]

Results

1940 Illinois gubernatorial election[11][12][13]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Dwight H. Green	2,197,778	52.93%
	Democratic	Harry B. Hershey	1,940,833	46.74%
	Socialist	Arthur G. McDowell	7,523	0.18%
	Prohibition	Clay Freeman Gaumer	6,467	0.16%
		Write-ins	21	0.00%
Majority			256,945	6.19%
Turnout			4,152,622	100.00%
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing

Lieutenant Governor

Candidates

• Hugh W. Cross, Republican
• Louie E. Lewis, Democratic
• Henry Johnson Long, Prohibition
• Joe Tonielli, Socialist

Results

1940 Illinois lieutenant gubernatorial election[14][15]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±
	Republican	Hugh W. Cross	2,073,679	51.27%
	Democratic	Louie E. Lewis	1,955,834	48.36%
	Socialist	Joe Tonielli	7,695	0.19%
	Prohibition	Henry Johnson Long	7,181	0.18%
		Write-ins	13	0.00%
Majority			117,845	2.91%
Turnout			4,044,402	100.00%
	Republican gain from Democratic		Swing

References

1. Illinois Primary Vote 1940, pp. 29-31.
2. "IL Governor, 1940 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
3. "1940 Gubernatorial Democratic Primary Election Results - Illinois". US Election Atlas. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
4. Illinois Primary Vote 1940, pp. 32-34.
5. "IL Lt. Governor, 1940 - D Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
6. "IL Governor, 1940 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
7. "1940 Gubernatorial Republican Primary Election Results - Illinois". US Election Atlas. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
8. "It's always campaign season". The Visual Journal. 24 November 2018. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
9. "IL Lt. Governor, 1940 - R Primary". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
10. "Socialist Party of America (1897-1946): Party Officials". Early American Marxism: A repository of source material, 1864-1946. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
11. Illinois Official Vote 1940, pp. 12-13.
12. "IL Governor, 1940". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
13. "1940 Gubernatorial General Election Results - Illinois". US Election Atlas. Retrieved 8 May 2020.
14. Illinois Official Vote 1940, pp. 14-15.
15. "IL Lt. Governor, 1940". Our Campaigns. Retrieved 8 May 2020.

Bibliography

• Compiled by Edward J. Hughes, Secretary of State. Official vote of the State of Illinois cast at the Primary Election held on April 9, 1940.
• Compiled by Edward J. Hughes, Secretary of State. Official vote of the State of Illinois cast at the General Election, Nov. 5, 1940; Judicial Elections, 1939-1940.