1964 Illinois gubernatorial election

The primaries and general election both coincided with those for federal offices (United States President and congress) and those for other state offices. The election was part of the 1964 Illinois elections.

In the primary election, turnout was 37.89% with 1,956,238 votes cast.{{cite web |title=OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 4, 1986 |url=https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1986/1986%20GE.PDF |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220602085116/https://www.elections.il.gov/DocDisplay.aspx?doc=Downloads/ElectionOperations/VoteTotals/Archived/1986/1986%20GE.PDF |url-status=dead |archive-date=June 2, 2022 |website=www.elections.il.gov |publisher=Illinois State Board of Elections |access-date=10 April 2020 }} In the general election, turnout was 84.15% with 4,657,500 votes cast.

The Democratic primary was held on April 14, 1964. Incumbent governor Otto Kerner Jr. won without opposition.

• Otto Kerner Jr., incumbent Governor since 1961

• Sargent Shriver, director of the Peace Corps and former President of the Chicago Board of Education

Sargent Shriver had considered a possible run, but opted against a campaign after President Lyndon B. Johnson asked him to remain in Washington to assist with Great Society programs.{{cite book|last=Stossel|first=Scott|title=Sarge: The life and times of Sargent Shriver|year=2004|publisher=Smithsonian Books|location=Washington, D.C.|isbn=978-1-58834-127-3|author-link=Scott Stossel|url=https://archive.org/details/sargelifetimesof00stos}}

{{Election box begin|title=1964 Democratic gubernatorial primary, Illinois{{cite book |title=Illinois Blue Book 1963-1964 |publisher=Illinois Secretary of State |pages=901 |url=http://www.idaillinois.org/cdm/pageflip/collection/bb/id/15579/type/compoundobject/show/14563/cpdtype/monograph/pftype/image |access-date=28 March 2020 }}{{Dead link|date=February 2021 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Otto Kerner Jr. (incumbent)|votes=917,455|percentage=99.98|change=N/A|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=N/A|candidate=write-ins|votes=161|percentage=0.02|change=N/A|}}

{{Election box majority|votes=917,294|percentage=99.96|change=|}}

{{Election box total|votes=917,616|percentage=100|change=|}}

{{Election box end}}

The Republican primary was also held on April 14. Business executive{{cite web |title=CARPENTIER QUITS RACE IN ILLINOIS; G.O.P. Leader in Governor's Contest Has Heart Attack (Published 1964) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/01/22/archives/carpentier-quits-race-in-illinois-gop-leader-in-governors-contest.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=15 December 2020 |date=22 January 1964}} Charles Percy won the nomination against Illinois state treasurer William Scott, and a field of minor candidates.

• Charles H. Percy, president of Bell & Howell and former advisor to Dwight D. Eisenhower and Nelson Rockefeller
• Barnept J. "Barney" Neidle
• William J. Scott, Treasurer of Illinois since 1963
• Alfred A. Skallish

• Charles F. Carpentier, Secretary of State
• Hayes Robertson, chair of the Cook County Republican Party and candidate for governor in 1960 (endorsed Scott)

Illinois secretary of state Charles F. Carpentier was originally running, but dropped-out in January after suffering a heart attack. Also originally running was Cook County Republican Party chairman Hayes Robertson, who had unsuccessfully challenged William Stratton in the 1960 Republican gubernatorial primary. Robertson also withdrew in January, throwing his support behind Scott.{{cite news |title=Governor Race, Election Bill Stir Illinois Politics |url=https://opensiuc.lib.siu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=https://www.google.com/&httpsredir=1&article=1016&context=de_January1964 |work=The Daily Egyptian |agency=Associated Press |date=24 January 1964}}

{{Election box begin|title=1964 Republican gubernatorial primary, Illinois}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Charles H. Percy|votes=626,111|percentage=60.28|change=N/A|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=William J. Scott|votes=388,903|percentage=37.44|change=N/A|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Lar "America First" Daly|votes=9,228|percentage=0.89|change=N/A|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Barnept J. "Barney" Neidle|votes=6,508|percentage=0.63|change=N/A}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Alfred A. Skallish|votes=7,661|percentage=0.74|change=N/A|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Write-in|candidate=Others|votes=211|percentage=0.02|change=N/A|}}

{{Election box majority|votes=237,208|percentage=22.84|change=|}}

{{Election box total|votes=1,038,622|percentage=100|change=|}}

{{Election box end}}

{{Election box begin|title=1964 gubernatorial election, Illinois}}

{{Election box winning candidate with party link|party=Democratic Party (United States)|candidate=Otto Kerner Jr. (incumbent)|votes=2,418,394|percentage=51.92|change=-3.58|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Republican Party (United States)|candidate=Charles H. Percy|votes=2,239,095|percentage=48.08|change=+3.78|}}

{{Election box candidate with party link|party=Write-in|candidate=Others|votes=11|percentage=0.00|change=N/A|}}

{{Election box majority|votes=179,095|percentage=3.85|change=7.37|}}

{{Election box turnout|votes=4,657,500|percentage=84.15|change=|}}{{Election box hold with party link|winner=Democratic Party (United States)|swing=}}

{{Election box end}}

{{reflist}}

{{United States elections, 1964}}

{{Illinois elections}}

Illinois

Category:Illinois gubernatorial elections

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