The Socialist Party of Illinois (SPIL) is a political party in the state of Illinois. It was affiliated with the Socialist Party of America. It was founded in September 1901, though the grouping met in 1900 at a convention in Chicago and supported Eugene V. Debs for president in 1900. It was the successor to the Social Democratic Party of America.
In 1915, the party had 6,004 members. 44 party members held public office in that year, including one mayor, 18 aldermen and 2 members of the Illinois House of Representatives among others. The Chicago Socialist was the newspaper of the Socialist Party of Illinois.
The Chicago Socialist Party was the most active local in the SPIL and one of the most active in the United States. It is now an affiliate of the Socialist Party USA.
Presidential nominee results From 1904 to 1948, the SPIL placed its nominee for president on the Illinois ballot. In 1952 and 1956, the party's nominee was not on the ballot, nor has the party placed the SPUSA nominee on the ballot since it began running candidates again in 1976. YearPresidential NomineeVice-Presidential NomineeVotes1904 Eugene V. DebsBenjamin Hanford69,225 (6.43%)1908 Eugene V. DebsBenjamin Hanford34,711 (3.00%)1912 Eugene V. DebsEmil Seidel 81,278 (7.09%)1916 Allen L. Benson George Ross Kirkpatrick 61,394 (2.80%)1920 Eugene V. Debs Seymour Stedman 74,747 (3.57%)1924 Robert M. La FolletteIn 1924, the Socialist Party nationally endorsed the Progressive Party ticket of La Follette/WheelerBurton K. Wheeler 432,027 (17.49%)1928 Norman Thomas James H. Maurer 19,138 (0.62%)1932 Norman Thomas James H. Maurer 67,258 (1.97%)1936 Norman Thomas George A. Nelson 7,530 (0.19%)1940 Norman Thomas Maynard C. Krueger 10,914 (0.26%)1944 Norman Thomas Darlington Hoopes 180 (0.00%)1948 Norman Thomas Tucker P. Smith 11,522 (0.29%)
Notable members Roy E. Burt, National Secretary and 1932 candidate for Governor J. Louis Engdahl, 1918 candidate for Congress Isaac Edward Ferguson, civil rights attorney Adolph Germer, National Secretary and multi-time candidate Charles V. Johnson, member of the Chicago City Council from 1917 to 1919 John C. Kennedy, member of the Chicago City Council from 1915 to 1919 and 1912 candidate for Governor Charles H. Kerr, Party Secretary (1902) George Ross Kirkpatrick, 1916 candidate for vice president and 1928 candidate for United States Senate Maynard C. Krueger, 1940 candidate for Vice President William F. Kruse, 1921 candidate for Secretary of State William Bross Lloyd, 1918 candidate for United States Senate Christian M. Madsen, member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1913 to 1917 Joseph Mason, member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1913 to 1917 Thomas J. Morgan, labor leader and multi-time candidate Joseph Medill Patterson, journalist William E. Rodriguez, member of the Chicago City Council from 1915 to 1918 Algie Martin Simons, newspaper editor Seymour Stedman, attorney and 1920 candidate for Vice President Carl D. Thompson, 1916 candidate for Congress John H. Walker, 1912 candidate for Congress John M. Work, 1914 candidate for Congress
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