1972 United States presidential election in Illinois
1972 United States presidential election in Illinois Turnout 75.99% pp
County Results
Nixon
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
McGovern
50-60%
The 1972 United States presidential election in Illinois was held on November 7, 1972 as part of the 1972 United States presidential election . Incumbent President Richard Nixon won the state of Illinois with 59.03 percent of the vote, carrying the state's 26 electoral votes.[ 1] Democratic candidate George McGovern in Illinois by a large margin of 18.52%, which still left Illinois 4.63% more Democratic than the nation.
Nixon won all but one of Illinois’ 102 counties. The solitary exception was Jackson County , home to Southern Illinois University Carbondale , which notably had voted for Nixon in the previous election and was one of six counties outside McGovern’s home state to switch from Republican to Democratic at this election.[ a] [ 2] Benjamin Harrison in 1888 .
As of the 2024 presidential election , this is the last time in which Cook County and St. Clair County voted Republican, and the last until 2016 when Alexander County supported a Republican nominee.[ 3]
Primaries
The primaries and general elections coincided with those for other federal offices (Senate and House ) and those for state offices .[ 4]
Turnout
Turnout in the primaries was 22.54%, with a total of 1,258,713 votes cast.[ 4]
Turnout in the general election was 75.99%, with a total of 4,723,236 votes cast.[ 4] [ 4]
Democratic
1972 Illinois Democratic presidential primary
County Results
Muskie
50-60%
60-70%
70-80%
80-90%
McCarthy
40-50%
50-60%
The 1972 Illinois Democratic presidential primary was held on March 21, 1972 in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Democratic Party's statewide nomination contests ahead of the 1972 presidential election.
The popular vote was a "beauty contest". Delegates were instead selected by direct-vote in each congressional districts on delegate candidates, who had either pledged to support a candidate or been uncommitted.[ 4]
Republican
1972 Illinois Republican presidential primary
The 1972 Illinois Republican presidential primary was held on March 21, 1972 in the U.S. state of Illinois as one of the Republican Party's statewide nomination contests ahead of the 1972 presidential election.
In this election, all candidates were write-ins.[ 4]
The popular vote was a "beauty contest". Delegates were instead selected by direct-vote in each congressional district on delegate candidates, who had either pledged their support to a candidate or indicated their intent to enter the convention uncommitted to any candidate.[ 4]
Results
1972 United States presidential election in Illinois
Party
Candidates
Votes[ 4]
Percentage
Electoral votes
Republican Richard M. Nixon (incumbent) /Spiro T. Agnew (incumbent)
2,788,179
59.03%
26
Democratic
George McGovern /R. Sargent Shriver
1,913,472
40.51%
0
Socialist Labor
Louis Fisher /Genevieve Gunderson
12,344
0.26%
0
Communist
Gus Hall /Jarvis Tyner
4,541
0.10%
0
Write-in
John Schmitz
2,471
0.05%
0
Other write-ins
—
2,229
0.05%
0
Totals
4,723,236
100.0%
26
Results by county
County
Richard Nixon
George McGovern
Louis Fisher
Various candidates
Margin
Total votes cast[ 7]
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
#
%
Adams
20,731
69.46%
9,055
30.34%
57
0.19%
3
0.01%
11,676
39.12%
29,846
Alexander
3,669
59.09%
2,482
39.97%
49
0.79%
9
0.14%
1,187
19.12%
6,209
Bond
4,475
62.30%
2,704
37.64%
4
0.06%
0
0.00%
1,771
24.66%
7,183
Boone
7,003
68.89%
3,131
30.80%
29
0.29%
2
0.02%
3,872
38.09%
10,165
Brown
1,780
58.90%
1,203
39.81%
36
1.19%
3
0.10%
577
19.09%
3,022
Bureau
12,786
67.47%
6,133
32.36%
22
0.12%
11
0.06%
6,653
35.11%
18,952
Calhoun
1,705
56.51%
1,299
43.06%
13
0.43%
0
0.00%
406
13.45%
3,017
Carroll
6,041
69.99%
2,571
29.79%
18
0.21%
1
0.01%
3,470
40.20%
8,631
Cass
4,414
61.14%
2,803
38.83%
1
0.01%
1
0.01%
1,611
22.31%
7,219
Champaign
33,700
57.43%
24,743
42.17%
97
0.17%
139
0.24%
8,957
15.26%
58,679
Christian
10,072
56.98%
7,556
42.75%
44
0.25%
3
0.02%
2,516
14.23%
17,675
Clark
5,706
65.74%
2,965
34.16%
8
0.09%
1
0.01%
2,741
31.58%
8,680
Clay
5,283
64.92%
2,844
34.95%
8
0.10%
3
0.04%
2,439
29.97%
8,138
Clinton
7,931
62.39%
4,756
37.41%
15
0.12%
10
0.08%
3,175
24.98%
12,712
Coles
13,681
62.90%
7,988
36.72%
15
0.07%
67
0.31%
5,693
26.18%
21,751
Cook
1,234,307
53.41%
1,063,268
46.01%
7,328
0.32%
6,134
0.27%
171,039
7.40%
2,311,037
Crawford
6,568
65.32%
3,477
34.58%
9
0.09%
1
0.01%
3,091
30.74%
10,055
Cumberland
3,257
60.79%
2,083
38.88%
9
0.17%
9
0.17%
1,174
21.91%
5,358
DeKalb
18,910
60.25%
12,375
39.43%
41
0.13%
58
0.18%
6,535
20.82%
31,384
DeWitt
5,025
65.22%
2,672
34.68%
7
0.09%
1
0.01%
2,353
30.54%
7,705
Douglas
5,840
68.66%
2,656
31.23%
8
0.09%
2
0.02%
3,184
37.43%
8,506
DuPage
172,341
75.02%
57,043
24.83%
297
0.13%
58
0.03%
115,298
50.19%
229,739
Edgar
7,195
64.73%
3,889
34.99%
29
0.26%
3
0.03%
3,306
29.74%
11,116
Edwards
3,017
73.93%
1,055
25.85%
9
0.22%
0
0.00%
1,962
48.08%
4,081
Effingham
8,752
66.34%
4,431
33.59%
7
0.05%
3
0.02%
4,321
32.75%
13,193
Fayette
6,574
61.05%
4,192
38.93%
1
0.01%
1
0.01%
2,382
22.12%
10,768
Ford
5,656
74.51%
1,934
25.48%
1
0.01%
0
0.00%
3,722
49.03%
7,591
Franklin
10,121
54.04%
8,545
45.62%
32
0.17%
31
0.17%
1,576
8.42%
18,729
Fulton
12,328
61.80%
7,529
37.74%
77
0.39%
15
0.08%
4,799
24.06%
19,949
Gallatin
2,148
53.69%
1,844
46.09%
6
0.15%
3
0.07%
304
7.60%
4,001
Greene
4,673
62.13%
2,824
37.55%
23
0.31%
1
0.01%
1,849
24.58%
7,521
Grundy
8,725
70.70%
3,584
29.04%
20
0.16%
12
0.10%
5,141
41.66%
12,341
Hamilton
3,282
61.94%
2,006
37.86%
9
0.17%
2
0.04%
1,276
24.08%
5,299
Hancock
7,519
67.56%
3,592
32.28%
16
0.14%
2
0.02%
3,927
35.28%
11,129
Hardin
1,915
62.54%
1,140
37.23%
6
0.20%
1
0.03%
775
25.31%
3,062
Henderson
2,689
60.62%
1,744
39.31%
2
0.05%
1
0.02%
945
21.31%
4,436
Henry
14,796
63.82%
8,368
36.09%
17
0.07%
4
0.02%
6,428
27.73%
23,185
Iroquois
11,995
76.00%
3,723
23.59%
12
0.08%
52
0.33%
8,272
52.41%
15,782
Jackson
12,393
48.42%
13,146
51.37%
48
0.19%
6
0.02%
-753
-2.95%
25,593
Jasper
3,461
61.18%
2,114
37.37%
8
0.14%
74
1.31%
1,347
23.81%
5,657
Jefferson
9,448
59.40%
6,396
40.21%
50
0.31%
11
0.07%
3,052
19.19%
15,905
Jersey
5,164
60.70%
3,317
38.99%
8
0.09%
18
0.21%
1,847
21.71%
8,507
Jo Daviess
5,763
63.34%
3,318
36.47%
13
0.14%
5
0.05%
2,445
26.87%
9,099
Johnson
2,826
68.54%
1,293
31.36%
4
0.10%
0
0.00%
1,533
37.18%
4,123
Kane
64,546
69.87%
27,525
29.80%
163
0.18%
143
0.15%
37,021
40.07%
92,377
Kankakee
26,866
66.54%
13,434
33.27%
54
0.13%
19
0.05%
13,432
33.27%
40,373
Kendall
9,373
78.65%
2,525
21.19%
19
0.16%
0
0.00%
6,848
57.46%
11,917
Knox
17,315
64.69%
9,333
34.87%
60
0.22%
58
0.22%
7,982
29.82%
26,766
Lake
92,052
65.84%
47,416
33.91%
278
0.20%
66
0.05%
44,636
31.93%
139,812
LaSalle
31,190
59.20%
21,405
40.63%
82
0.16%
10
0.02%
9,785
18.57%
52,687
Lawrence
5,347
65.36%
2,818
34.45%
15
0.18%
1
0.01%
2,529
30.91%
8,181
Lee
10,636
68.67%
4,788
30.91%
12
0.08%
53
0.34%
5,848
37.76%
15,489
Livingston
13,217
72.07%
5,110
27.86%
9
0.05%
3
0.02%
8,107
44.21%
18,339
Logan
10,277
69.95%
4,395
29.91%
18
0.12%
2
0.01%
5,882
40.04%
14,692
Macon
29,596
59.16%
20,296
40.57%
114
0.23%
23
0.05%
9,300
18.59%
50,029
Macoupin
13,583
58.03%
9,662
41.28%
147
0.63%
15
0.06%
3,921
16.75%
23,407
Madison
55,385
55.88%
43,289
43.68%
137
0.14%
305
0.31%
12,096
12.20%
99,116
Marion
10,755
60.58%
6,968
39.25%
21
0.12%
10
0.06%
3,787
21.33%
17,754
Marshall
4,452
67.43%
2,141
32.43%
8
0.12%
1
0.02%
2,311
35.00%
6,602
Mason
4,897
62.70%
2,901
37.14%
8
0.10%
4
0.05%
1,996
25.56%
7,810
Massac
4,313
69.99%
1,831
29.71%
14
0.23%
4
0.06%
2,482
40.28%
6,162
McDonough
10,573
67.18%
5,143
32.68%
17
0.11%
5
0.03%
5,430
34.50%
15,738
McHenry
36,114
74.75%
12,090
25.02%
88
0.18%
20
0.04%
24,024
49.73%
48,312
McLean
31,060
67.59%
14,824
32.26%
57
0.12%
14
0.03%
16,236
35.33%
45,955
Menard
3,657
69.49%
1,587
30.15%
8
0.15%
11
0.21%
2,070
39.34%
5,263
Mercer
5,452
60.98%
3,477
38.89%
8
0.09%
3
0.03%
1,975
22.09%
8,940
Monroe
6,479
68.44%
2,958
31.25%
24
0.25%
5
0.05%
3,521
37.19%
9,466
Montgomery
9,025
56.71%
6,858
43.10%
27
0.17%
3
0.02%
2,167
13.61%
15,913
Morgan
11,103
66.13%
5,674
33.80%
11
0.07%
1
0.01%
5,429
32.33%
16,789
Moultrie
3,143
57.07%
2,350
42.67%
9
0.16%
5
0.09%
793
14.40%
5,507
Ogle
13,512
73.88%
4,743
25.93%
32
0.17%
3
0.02%
8,769
47.95%
18,290
Peoria
50,324
64.49%
27,264
34.94%
112
0.14%
337
0.43%
23,060
29.55%
78,037
Perry
6,968
62.98%
4,084
36.91%
9
0.08%
3
0.03%
2,884
26.07%
11,064
Piatt
5,057
67.72%
2,394
32.06%
16
0.21%
1
0.01%
2,663
35.66%
7,468
Pike
5,940
60.23%
3,883
39.37%
38
0.39%
2
0.02%
2,057
20.86%
9,863
Pope
1,440
64.92%
773
34.85%
4
0.18%
1
0.05%
667
30.07%
2,218
Pulaski
2,485
59.27%
1,683
40.14%
21
0.50%
4
0.10%
802
19.13%
4,193
Putnam
1,665
59.74%
1,112
39.90%
4
0.14%
6
0.22%
553
19.84%
2,787
Randolph
9,761
60.20%
6,440
39.72%
14
0.09%
0
0.00%
3,321
20.48%
16,215
Richland
5,558
68.41%
2,553
31.42%
12
0.15%
2
0.02%
3,005
36.99%
8,125
Rock Island
37,548
53.39%
32,529
46.25%
227
0.32%
26
0.04%
5,019
7.14%
70,330
Saline
7,660
59.30%
5,226
40.46%
26
0.20%
6
0.05%
2,434
18.84%
12,918
Sangamon
50,458
65.46%
25,720
33.37%
284
0.37%
617
0.80%
24,738
32.09%
77,079
Schuyler
2,994
66.03%
1,534
33.83%
2
0.04%
4
0.09%
1,460
32.20%
4,534
Scott
2,228
66.00%
1,145
33.92%
2
0.06%
1
0.03%
1,083
32.08%
3,376
Shelby
7,217
62.08%
4,389
37.75%
17
0.15%
3
0.03%
2,828
24.33%
11,626
St. Clair
50,519
51.50%
46,636
47.54%
876
0.89%
66
0.07%
3,883
3.96%
98,097
Stark
2,529
71.44%
993
28.05%
8
0.23%
10
0.28%
1,536
43.39%
3,540
Stephenson
13,584
67.86%
6,404
31.99%
24
0.12%
7
0.03%
7,180
35.87%
20,019
Tazewell
31,937
67.08%
15,576
32.71%
83
0.17%
17
0.04%
16,361
34.37%
47,613
Union
5,034
59.36%
3,428
40.42%
16
0.19%
2
0.02%
1,606
18.94%
8,480
Vermilion
24,863
63.06%
14,413
36.56%
70
0.18%
79
0.20%
10,450
26.50%
39,425
Wabash
4,310
68.35%
1,985
31.48%
5
0.08%
6
0.10%
2,325
36.87%
6,306
Warren
7,021
70.15%
2,969
29.67%
15
0.15%
3
0.03%
4,052
40.48%
10,008
Washington
5,179
68.85%
2,327
30.94%
12
0.16%
4
0.05%
2,852
37.91%
7,522
Wayne
6,400
69.75%
2,763
30.11%
10
0.11%
2
0.02%
3,637
39.64%
9,175
White
6,052
62.10%
3,678
37.74%
11
0.11%
5
0.05%
2,374
24.36%
9,746
Whiteside
17,305
68.40%
7,909
31.26%
80
0.32%
7
0.03%
9,396
37.14%
25,301
Will
65,155
65.67%
33,633
33.90%
185
0.19%
245
0.25%
31,522
31.77%
99,218
Williamson
14,101
60.02%
9,202
39.17%
12
0.05%
177
0.75%
4,899
20.85%
23,492
Winnebago
57,682
61.46%
35,937
38.29%
179
0.19%
52
0.06%
21,745
23.17%
93,850
Woodford
9,622
72.85%
3,558
26.94%
18
0.14%
10
0.08%
6,064
45.91%
13,208
Totals
2,788,179
59.03%
1,913,472
40.51%
12,344
0.26%
9,241
0.20%
874,707
18.52%
4,723,236
Counties that flipped from Democratic to Republican
Counties that flipped from Republican to Democratic
Analysis
Nixon's 2,788,179 votes were the most received by a Republican presidential candidate in the state's history.
This was the closest anyone has come to sweeping every Illinois county, making the state along with Kentucky and North Carolina, the only states where no one candidate has ever swept every county in the state's history.
See also
Notes
References
^ "1972 Presidential General Election Results – Illinois" . Retrieved May 13, 2016 .^ Menendez, Albert J.; The Geography of Presidential Elections in the United States, 1868-2004 , p. 98 ISBN 0786422173
^ Sullivan, Robert David; ‘How the Red and Blue Map Evolved Over the Past Century’ ; America Magazine in The National Catholic Review ; June 29, 2016
^ a b c d e f g h i j "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 7, 1972 JUDICIAL PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 21, 1972" (PDF) . Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved June 26, 2020 .[permanent dead link ] ^ a b "Late Vote Totals In Illinois Races" . The New York Times . March 18, 1976. Retrieved April 2, 2018 .^ a b "Ford and Carter Amass Delegates in Illinois Races – Georgian Shows Surprising Strength in the Tabulation, Though Stevenson Leads – New Momentum Seen – Reagan, Resisting, Pressed Again to Quit as Gesture Toward Party Unity Ford and Carter Amassing Delegates" . The New York Times . March 18, 1976. Retrieved April 2, 2018 .^ Our Campaigns; IL US President 1972
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