| Elections in Illinois |
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The 1920 United States Senate election in Illinois took place on November 2, 1920.[1]
Incumbent Republican senator Lawrence Yates Sherman opted to retire rather than seeking reelection. Fellow Republican William B. McKinley was elected to succeed him in office.
Election information
The primaries and general election coincided with those for House and those for state elections, but not those for president.[1] Primaries were held September 15, 1920.[1]
The 1920 United States Senate elections were the first to be held since the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution granted national women's suffrage. This was the first Illinois U.S. Senate election in which women could vote.
Background
In 1916, incumbent Lawrence Yates Sherman made the decision to retire from politics and to not seek reelection in 1920, due to his failing hearing, which prevented him from hearing what was said on the Senate floor.[2]
Democratic primary
Candidates
Campaign
Burke, known as "O.K. Bobby" by supporters, stood on a platform opposed to the League of Nations and ratification of the Treaty of Versailles. He was also opposed to Prohibition and critical of President Wilson.[3] Waller had the support of the Democratic establishment.[3] Neither ran an active campaign.[3]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic | Peter A. Waller | 87,643 | 51.17 | |
| Democratic | Robert Emmet Burke | 83,624 | 48.83 | |
| Total votes | 171,267 | 100 | ||
Republican primary
Candidates
- Burnett M. Chiperfield, former U.S. Representative at-large (from Canton)
- William B. McKinley, U.S. Representative from Champaign
- Frank L. Smith, U.S. Representative from Dwight
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William B. McKinley | 372,530 | 46.60 | |
| Republican | Frank L. Smith | 361,130 | 45.18 | |
| Republican | Burnett M. Chiperfield | 65,742 | 8.22 | |
| Total votes | 799,402 | 100 | ||
Socialist primary
Candidates
- Gustave T. Fraenckel
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socialist | Gustave T. Fraenckel | 2,013 | 100 | |
| Total votes | 2,013 | 100 | ||
General election
Candidates
- George Dodd Carrington Jr. (Single Tax)
- John Fitzpatrick, trade union leader
- Gustave T. Fraenckel (Socialist)
- William B. McKinley (Democratic), U.S. congressman
- Joseph B. Moody (Socialist Labor)
- Peter A. Waller (Republican)
- Frank B. Vennum (Prohibition Party), activist, capitalist, philanthropist, 1912 candidate for Illinois treasurer, 1918 U.S. Senate candidate[4]
Results
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republican | William B. McKinley | 1,381,384 | 66.83 | |
| Democratic | Peter A. Waller | 554,372 | 26.82 | |
| Socialist | Gustave T. Fraenckel | 66,463 | 3.22 | |
| Farmer–Labor | John Fitzpatrick | 50,749 | 2.46 | |
| Prohibition | Frank B. Vennum | 10,186 | 0.49 | |
| Socialist Labor | Joseph B. Moody | 3,107 | 0.15 | |
| Single Tax | George Dodd Carrington Jr. | 784 | 0.04 | |
| Majority | 827,012 | 40.01 | ||
| Turnout | 2,067,045 | |||
| Republican hold | ||||
See also
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "OFFICIAL VOTE OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS CAST AT THE GENERAL ELECTION, Nov. 2, 1920 Delegeates to Constitutional Convention Questions of Public Policy, Nov, 4, 1919, Judicial Elections, 1919-1920 PRIMARY ELECTIONS, General Primary, Sept, 15, 1920 Delegates to the Constitutional Convention, Sept. 10, 1919 Presidential Preference April 13, 1920" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 17, 2021. Retrieved December 18, 2020.
- ^ Stone, Ralph A. (1970). The Irreconcilables: The Fight Against the League of Nations. The University Press of Kentucky. p. 67.
- ^ a b c d "Igoe Defeats Hoyne 15,000 in Democrat Race; Burke, Anti-League, Leads in Chicago". The Chicago Tribune. September 16, 1920. p. 1. Retrieved August 31, 2022.
- ^ "Our Campaigns - Candidate - Frank B. Vennum". www.ourcampaigns.com. Retrieved December 20, 2020.
- ^ "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 2, 1920" (PDF). Clerk.house.gov. Retrieved August 21, 2019.