A general election was held in the U.S. state of Illinois on November 4, 2014. All of Illinois' executive officers were up for election as well as a United States Senate seat, and all of Illinois' eighteen seats in the United States House of Representatives. Primary elections were held on March 18, 2014.

Election information 2014 was a midterm election year in the United States.

Turnout

Primary election For the primary election, turnout was 18.09%, with 1,357,807 votes cast.

Turnout by county County Registration Votes cast Turnout Adams 45,771 7,942 17.35% Alexander 5,588 1,082 19.36% Bond 12,146 1,579 13.00% Boone 32,955 6,675 20.25% Brown 3,525 712 20.20% Bureau 24,173 5,136 21.25% Calhoun 3,722 1,730 46.48% Carroll 11,388 2,865 25.16% Cass 8,467 2,570 30.35% Champaign 110,100 23,299 21.16% Christian 22,235 5,713 25.69% Clark 11,626 2,185 18.79% Clay 8,899 1,322 14.86% Clinton 24,712 3,475 14.06% Coles 29,736 9,310 31.31% CookFor more on Cook County primary turnout, see 2014 Cook County, Illinois elections#Voter turnout 2,819,883 458,396 16.26% Crawford 14,437 3,528 24.44% Cumberland 7,417 1,662 22.41% DeKalb 57,903 8,642 14.92% DeWitt 11,843 3,544 29.92% Douglas 11,686 3,717 31.81% DuPage 576,737 110,696 19.19% Edgar 12,487 3,941 31.56% Edwards 4,390 938 21.37% Effingham 22,568 8,375 37.11% Fayette 14,996 3,796 25.31% Ford 8,526 3,031 35.55% Franklin 29,413 4,654 15.82% Fulton 25,882 6,478 25.03% Gallatin 3,847 1,070 27.81% Greene 8,642 1,530 17.70% Grundy 29,795 5,740 19.26% Hamilton 5,662 2,655 46.89% Hancock 12,292 2,857 23.24% Hardin 3,055 611 20.00% Henderson 4,847 1,983 40.91% Henry 35,928 5,894 16.41% Iroquois 18,278 4,512 24.69% Jackson 38,401 6,782 17.66% Jasper 6,777 1,755 25.90% Jefferson 23,134 7,355 31.79% Jersey 18,239 2,719 14.91% Jo Daviess 15,601 3,159 20.25% Johnson 7,954 3,976 49.99% Kane 269,208 44,082 16.37% Kankakee 64,377 10,835 16.83% Kendall 67,129 12,568 18.72% Knox 32,448 4,743 14.62% Lake 402,644 56,616 14.06% LaSalle 66,775 12,250 18.35% Lawrence 9,354 1,857 19.85% Lee 23,312 6,344 27.21% Livingston 21,092 7,740 36.70% Logan 19,356 5,254 27.14% Macon 75,053 11,978 15.96% Macoupin 30,814 9,638 31.28% Madison 176,987 26,131 14.76% Marion 24,254 3,606 14.87% Marshall 8,160 1,695 20.77% Mason 10,002 3,070 30.69% Massac 11,238 1,667 14.83% McDonough 16,527 3,116 18.85% McHenry 204,440 34,700 16.97% McLean 99,351 28,439 28.62% Menard 8,648 3,890 44.98% Mercer 11,935 2,953 24.74% Monroe 23,542 3,830 16.27% Montgomery 17,359 3,792 21.84% Morgan 22,063 4,765 21.60% Moultrie 8,646 1,549 17.92% Ogle 33,519 10,350 30.88% Peoria 109,927 20,423 18.58% Perry 14,293 3,584 25.08% Piatt 11,999 2,782 23.19% Pike 11,883 3,325 27.98% Pope 2,999 703 23.44% Pulaski 4,626 864 18.68% Putnam 4,143 1,936 46.73% Randolph 20,465 6,707 32.77% Richland 11,417 1,553 13.60% Rock Island 95,070 19,056 20.04% Saline 16,100 4,288 26.63% Sangamon 133,114 30,870 23.19% Schuyler 5,372 1,976 36.78% Scott 4,802 806 16.78% Shelby 15,058 5,986 39.75% Stark 4,291 1,522 35.47% St. Clair 171,162 30,282 17.69% Stephenson 33,385 7,706 23.08% Tazewell 86,869 12,509 14.40% Union 12,393 2,691 21.71% Vermilion 47,217 8,602 18.22% Wabash 8,921 1,765 19.78% Warren 11,876 2,148 18.09% Washington 9,874 3,254 32.96% Wayne 12,323 4,186 33.97% White 10,939 1,754 16.03% Whiteside 36,946 5,661 15.32% Will 395,131 60,719 15.37% Williamson 42,013 6,406 15.25% Winnebago 171,537 29,330 17.10% Woodford 24,961 7,364 29.50% 7,505,002 1,357,807 18.09%

General election For the general election, turnout was 49.18%, with 3,680,417 votes cast.

Turnout by county County Registration Votes cast Turnout% Adams 44,280 22,724 51.32% Alexander 5,634 2,457 43.61% Bond 12,243 5,019 40.99% Boone 32,036 15,400 48.07% Brown 3,468 1,622 46.77% Bureau 24,311 12,956 53.29% Calhoun 3,694 2,060 55.77% Carroll 11,440 5,681 49.66% Cass 8,747 3,888 44.45% Champaign 113,122 55,434 49.00% Christian 22,351 11,807 52.83% Clark 11,629 5,292 45.51% Clay 8,982 4,011 44.66% Clinton 24,679 12,960 52.51% Coles 30,204 15,017 49.72% CookFor more on Cook County general election turnout, see 2014 Cook County, Illinois elections#Voter turnout 2,767,432 1,364,436 49.30% Crawford 14,569 6,471 44.42% Cumberland 7,508 4,004 53.33% DeKalb 58,482 28,438 48.63% DeWitt 12,151 5,570 45.84% Douglas 11,693 6,108 52.24% DuPage 587,216 288,692 49.16% Edgar 12,507 6,511 52.06% Edwards 4,440 2,379 53.58% Effingham 22,414 12,380 55.23% Fayette 15,022 6,671 44.41% Ford 8,695 4,548 52.31% Franklin 28,985 13,082 45.13% Fulton 25,594 11,242 43.92% Gallatin 3,791 1,939 51.15% Greene 8,732 4,497 51.50% Grundy 30,095 16,780 55.76% Hamilton 5,681 3,346 58.90% Hancock 12,003 6,072 50.59% Hardin 3,096 1,545 49.90% Henderson 4,904 2,700 55.06% Henry 34,933 17,969 51.44% Iroquois 18,481 9,561 51.73% Jackson 40,116 16,521 41.18% Jasper 6,707 4,244 63.28% Jefferson 23,119 12,732 55.07% Jersey 18,386 8,276 45.01% Jo Daviess 15,782 7,916 50.16% Johnson 8,133 4,723 58.07% Kane 275,885 126,912 46.00% Kankakee 61,292 34,576 56.41% Kendall 67,829 32,586 48.04% Knox 32,715 16,314 49.87% Lake 404,004 202,532 50.13% LaSalle 67,532 35,823 53.05% Lawrence 9,221 4,243 46.01% Lee 23,335 11,455 49.09% Livingston 21,296 11,365 53.37% Logan 19,263 8,850 45.94% Macon 75,200 33,796 44.94% Macoupin 31,160 16,145 51.81% Madison 178,845 80,241 44.87% Marion 24,736 12,084 48.85% Marshall 8,245 4,306 52.23% Mason 10,030 5,411 53.95% Massac 11,293 4,383 38.81% McDonough 16,865 8,728 51.75% McHenry 206,197 94,609 45.88% McLean 103,672 51,006 49.2% Menard 8,683 4,955 57.07% Mercer 12,122 6,678 55.09% Monroe 24,374 12,741 52.27% Montgomery 17,225 8,901 51.67% Morgan 22,084 11,388 51.57% Moultrie 8,718 4,625 53.05% Ogle 33,852 17,279 51.04% Peoria 112,254 52,913 47.14% Perry 14,282 7,454 52.19% Piatt 11,988 7,176 59.86% Pike 11,936 5,907 49.49% Pope 2,945 1,637 55.59% Pulaski 4,676 2,774 59.32% Putnam 4,241 2,636 62.16% Randolph 20,792 11,518 55.40% Richland 11,058 5,081 45.95% Rock Island 93,478 45,527 48.70% Saline 15,995 8,179 51.13% Sangamon 136,270 72,784 53.41% Schuyler 5,406 3,401 62.91% Scott 4,132 2,251 54.48% Shelby 14,509 8,212 56.60% Stark 4,379 1,951 44.55% St. Clair 174,340 77,710 44.57% Stephenson 33,639 14,857 44.17% Tazewell 85,862 43,985 51.23% Union 12,139 6,385 52.60% Vermilion 47,048 22,020 46.80% Wabash 8,715 3,978 45.65% Warren 11,957 5,548 46.40% Washington 9,860 5,900 59.84% Wayne 12,124 6,012 49.59% White 10,782 6,235 57.83% Whiteside 37,510 17,860 47.61% Will 393,738 197,970 50.28% Williamson 43,318 20,954 48.37% Winnebago 165,347 79,838 48.29% Woodford 25,151 14,151 56.26% 7,483,031 3,680,417 49.18%

Federal elections United States Senate

Incumbent Democratic senator and Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin won reelection to a fourth term.

United States House

All of Illinois' 18 seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2014.

The Republican Party flipped two Democratic-held seat, making the composition of Illinois' House delegation 10 Democrats and 8 Republicans.

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

Incumbent Democratic Governor Pat Quinn ran for re-election to a second full term as governor. Quinn, the then-lieutenant governor, assumed the office of governor on January 29, 2009, when Rod Blagojevich was impeached and removed from office. He was narrowly elected to a first full term in 2010.

Quinn was renominated by the Democrats, while the Republicans chose businessman and venture capitalist Bruce Rauner and the Libertarians nominated political activist Chad Grimm.

Previously in Illinois, there were separate primary elections for governor and lieutenant governor, with the winners then running together on the same ticket. In 2011, the law was changed and candidates for governor now pick their own running mate. Incumbent Democratic lieutenant governor Sheila Simon did not run for re-election, instead running unsuccessfully for Comptroller. She was replaced as Quinn's running mate by former Chicago Public Schools CEO Paul Vallas. Rauner chose Wheaton City Councilwoman Evelyn Sanguinetti and Grimm chose Alex Cummings.

Rauner defeated Quinn in the general election by 50.3% of the vote to Quinn's 46.4%. Rauner won every county in Illinois except for Cook County, home to the city of Chicago and 40% of the state's residents.

Attorney General

Incumbent Democratic Attorney General Lisa Madigan ran for re-election to a fourth term in office.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Lisa Madigan, Illinois Attorney General

Results

Republican primary Candidates Declared Paul Schimpf, attorney and former U.S. Marine Corps infantry officer

Withdrew Mark Curran, Lake County sheriff Mike Webster, attorney, accountant, and president Cass School District 63 Board of Education (ran for secretary of state)

Declined Tom Cross, state representative and former minority leader of the Illinois House of Representatives (ran for Treasurer) Jim Durkin, state representative (replaced Cross as Minority Leader)

Results

General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error LisaMadigan (D) PaulSchimpf (R) BenKoyl (L) Other UndecidedAPC ResearchAPC Research October 16–21, 2014 800 ± 3.5% 61% 24% 6% 1% 8%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America October 6, 2014 1,097 ± 3% 56% 31% 5% — 8%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America September 17, 2014 1,071 ± 3.1% 53% 32% 6% — 9%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America September 3, 2014 1,096 ± 3% 54% 30% 5% — 11%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America July 30, 2014 1,057 ± 3.02% 52% 35% — — 13%McKeon & AssociatesMcKeon & Associates July 9–10, 2014 800 ± 3.9% 46% 37% — — 17%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America June 16, 2014 1,023 ± 3.06% 51% 35% — — 14%

Results

Secretary of State

Incumbent Democratic Secretary of State Jesse White ran for re-election to a fifth term in office.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Jesse White, Illinois Secretary of State

Results

Republican primary Candidates Declared Mike Webster, attorney, accountant, and president of the Cass School District 63 Board of Education

Withdrew Will Lindsey, businessman

Results

General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error JesseWhite (D) MikeWebster (R) ChristopherMichel (L) Other UndecidedAPC ResearchAPC Research October 16–21, 2014 800 ± 3.5% 68% 19% 5% 1% 7%We Ask America September 17, 2014 1,071 ± 3.1% 61% 28% 5% — 6%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America September 3, 2014 1,096 ± 3% 61% 26% 5% — 7%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America July 30, 2014 1,057 ± 3.02% 60% 31% — — 9%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America June 16, 2014 1,023 ± 3.06% 63% 29% — — 9%

Results

Comptroller

Incumbent Republican Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka ran for re-election to a second term in office. , this was the last time a Republican was elected Comptroller.

Democratic primary Candidates Declared Sheila Simon, Lieutenant Governor of Illinois

Results

Republican primary Candidates Declared Judy Baar Topinka, Illinois Comptroller

Withdrew William J. Kelly, political activist, columnist, and candidate for Illinois Comptroller in 2010

Results

General election Polling Poll source Date(s)administered Samplesize Marginof error Judy BaarTopinka (R) SheilaSimon (D) JulieFox (L) Other UndecidedAPC ResearchAPC Research October 16–21, 2014 800 ± 3.5% 49% 31% 8% 1% 11%Communication ExpressCommunication Express September 30, 2014 1,167 ± 2.87% 53% 31% 5% — 11%We Ask America September 17, 2014 1,071 ± 3.1% 55% 32% 6% — 8%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America September 2, 2014 1,064 ± 3% 51% 32% 8% — 9%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America July 31, 2014 1,005 ± 3.1% 51% 32% — — 17%We Ask AmericaWe Ask America June 17, 2014 1,021 ± 3.07% 48% 37% — — 15%We Ask AmericaWe Ask AmericaPoll identified candidate's party April 27, 2014 — ± 3.14% 51% 38% — — 11%We Ask AmericaPoll did not identify candidate's party April 21, 2014 — ± 3.21% 56% 29% — — 15%

Results

Aftermath