Illinois 2014 Election Results

Illinois held its general election on November 4, 2014, deciding 137 legislative seats and 6 statewide offices led by the governorship. No chamber changed party control.

Highlights

• Bruce Rauner (R) ousted Gov. Pat Quinn (D), ending the Democratic trifecta, but Democrats kept veto-proof majorities in both chambers, the three-fifths needed to override the new governor.
• Rauner, a venture capitalist who spent $26 million of his own money, beat Quinn by about 4 points on promises of lower taxes, term limits, and running the state like a business. Evelyn Sanguinetti (R) was elected lieutenant governor on his ticket over Paul Vallas (D).
• Rauner had tried to help legislative Republicans, but House Republicans gained no seats, leaving Speaker Michael Madigan with a bare-minimum supermajority of 71-47. In the House, 3 Democrats survived by less than a point: Kate Cloonen (D) in House District 79 by about 120 votes, Mike Smiddy (D) in House District 71 by about 310, and Frank J. Mautino (D) in House District 76 by about 340. The Senate's only change came in the Quad Cities, where Neil Anderson (R) unseated Mike Jacobs (D) by about 9 points in Senate District 36, trimming Democrats to 39-20.
• Michael Frerichs (D) took the open, Republican-held treasurer's office by about 9,200 votes; Tom Cross (R) conceded two weeks later without seeking a recount. Comptroller Judy Baar Topinka (R) beat Sheila Simon (D) by about 4 points but died after a stroke in December, weeks after her re-election. Attorney General Lisa Madigan (D) and Secretary of State Jesse White (D) won easily.
• Voters approved all 5 statewide questions. Two were constitutional amendments, the Crime Victims' Bill of Rights and the Right to Vote Amendment. The other three were non-binding advisory questions on raising the minimum wage to $10, a surtax on income over $1 million for schools, and requiring prescription birth-control coverage.

Legislature

• House (118 seats): 71 D, 47 R before the election, 71 D, 47 R after; control stayed with Democrats.
• Senate (59 seats): 40 D, 19 R before the election, 39 D, 20 R after; control stayed with Democrats.

Statewide races

Legislative races

Ballot measures