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Illinois Attorney General election, 2018 (March 20 Republican primary)

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Illinois Attorney General
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Democratic primary
Republican primary
General election
Election details
Filing deadline: December 4, 2017
Primary: March 20, 2018
General: November 6, 2018
Pre-election incumbent(s):
Lisa Madigan (Democrat)
How to vote
Poll times: 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Voting in Illinois
Ballotpedia analysis
Federal and state primary competitiveness
State executive elections in 2018
Impact of term limits in 2018
State government trifectas
State government triplexes
Ballotpedia's Election Analysis Hub, 2018
Illinois
executive elections
Governor

Lieutenant governor
Attorney general
Secretary of state
Treasurer
Comptroller

A Republican Party primary election took place on March 20, 2018, in Illinois to determine which candidate would run as the party's nominee in the state's November 6, 2018, attorney general election.

For more information about attorney general elections in 2018, click here.

SETTING THE STAGE
  • Heading into the 2018 election, the attorney general of Illinois was Lisa Madigan (D), who was first elected in 2002 and was re-elected in 2006, 2010, and 2014. On September 15, 2017, Madigan announced that she would not seek a fifth term in 2018.
  • In 2018, Illinois was under divided government. It had held this status since Gov. Bruce Rauner (R) took office in 2015. Illinois was also under divided triplex control.
  • The Democratic candidate won Illinois in each of the presidential elections between 2000 and 2016. The widest margin of victory was Barack Obama's 25 percent margin in 2008 while the narrowest was John Kerry's ten percent margin in 2004.

    • Candidates and election results

    Erika Harold defeated Gary Grasso in the Republican primary for Attorney General of Illinois on March 20, 2018.

    Republican primary election

    Republican primary for Attorney General of Illinois

    Candidate
    %
    Votes
    ✔
    Image of Erika Harold
    		Erika Harold
     
    59.2
     
    		389,197
    Image of Gary Grasso
    		Gary Grasso
     
    40.8
     
    		268,688

    There were no incumbents in this race. The results have been certified.

    		Total votes: 657,885
    Candidate Connection = candidate completed the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection survey.
    If you are a candidate and would like to tell readers and voters more about why they should vote for you, complete the Ballotpedia Candidate Connection Survey.

    Do you want a spreadsheet of this type of data? Contact our sales team.

    Context of the 2018 election

    Past elections

    2014

    See also: Illinois attorney general election, 2014

    Paul Schimpf was unopposed in the 2014 Republican primary election.[1]

    Voter information

    How the primary works

    A primary election is an election in which registered voters select a candidate that they believe should be a political party's candidate for elected office to run in the general election. They are also used to choose convention delegates and party leaders. Primaries are state-level and local-level elections that take place prior to a general election. In Illinois, state law provides for a closed primary where a voter must be affiliated with a party to vote in that party's primary. However, voters state their affiliation at the polls and any voter may change their affiliation on the day of the primary. A voter's eligibility to vote a party's ballot may be challenged.[2]

    For information about which offices are nominated via primary election, see this article.

    Poll times

    In Illinois, all polls are open from 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Central Time. An individual who is in line at the time polls close must be allowed to vote.[3]

    Registration requirements

    Check your voter registration status here.

    To register to vote in Illinois, a person must be a U.S. citizen, a resident of an Illinois precinct for at least 30 days prior to election day, and at least 18 years old by election day. A 17-year-old may vote in a primary if he or she will be 18 years old at the subsequent general election. Preregistration is available starting at age 16.[4][5]

    Regular registration closes during the period beginning 27 days prior to an election and ending two days after the election. Online registration closes 16 days prior to an election. Grace period registration is available in person through election day at certain locations.[4]

    Prospective voters can register online, by mail, or at any of the following locations:[6]

    “
    • County Clerk's Office
    • Board of Election Commissioner's Office
    • City and Village Offices
    • Township Offices
    • Precinct Committeeman
    • Schools
    • Public Libraries
    • Military Recruitment Offices[7]
    		 ”

    Two forms of identification are required to register in person, one of which must display the voter's current address.[4]

    Automatic registration

    Illinois automatically registers eligible individuals to vote through the Department of Motor Vehicles and other designated automatic voter registration agencies.

    Online registration

    See also: Online voter registration

    Illinois has implemented an online voter registration system. Residents can register to vote by visiting this website.

    Same-day registration

    Illinois allows same-day voter registration.

    Residency requirements

    Illinois law requires 30 days of residency in the state before a person may vote.

    Verification of citizenship

    See also: Laws permitting noncitizens to vote in the United States

    Illinois does not require proof of citizenship for voter registration. An individual applying to register to vote must attest that they are a U.S. citizen under penalty of perjury.

    All 49 states with voter registration systems require applicants to declare that they are U.S. citizens in order to register to vote in state and federal elections, under penalty of perjury or other punishment.[8] Seven states — Alabama, Arizona, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana, New Hampshire, and Wyoming — have laws requiring verification of citizenship at the time of voter registration, whether in effect or not. In three states — California, Maryland, and Vermont — at least one local jurisdiction allows noncitizens to vote in some local elections. Noncitizens registering to vote in those elections must complete a voter registration application provided by the local jurisdiction and are not eligible to register as state or federal voters.

    Verifying your registration

    The Registration Lookup page, run by the Illinois Board of Elections, allows residents to check their voter registration status online.

    Voter ID requirements

    Illinois does not require voters to present identification while voting, in most cases. First-time voters who registered by mail and did not submit their driver’s license number, state ID number, last four digits of their social security number, or other form of ID are required to present identification showing their name and address before voting.

    The following list of accepted ID was current as of August 2024. Click here for the Illinois State Board of Elections voting information page to ensure you have the most current information.

    “
    • A current and valid photo identification
    • Utility bill
    • Bank statement
    • Government check
    • Paycheck
    • Lease or contract for residence
    • Student ID & mail addressed to voter’s residence
    • Government document[9][7]
    		 ”

    Early voting

    Illinois permits early voting. Learn more by visiting this website.

    Early voting permits citizens to cast ballots in person at a polling place prior to an election. In states that permit no-excuse early voting, a voter does not have to provide an excuse for being unable to vote on Election Day. States that allow voters to cast no-excuse absentee/mail-in ballots in person are counted as no-excuse early voting states.

    Forty-seven states and the District of Columbia permit no-excuse early voting.

    Absentee voting

    All voters are eligible to vote absentee/by-mail in Illinois. There are no special eligibility requirements for voting by mail.[10]

    To vote by mail, a ballot application must be received by the election office between 90 and five days prior to the election if sent by mail. An application submitted in-person must be received no later than the day before the election. A returned absentee/mail-in ballot must then be postmarked no later than midnight the night before election and received no later than 14 days after the election.[10]

    Voters can sign up for a permanent vote-by-mail list and automatically receive vote-by-mail ballots for subsequent elections.[11]


    State overview

    Partisan control

    This section details the partisan control of federal and state positions in Illinois heading into the 2018 elections.

    Congressional delegation

    State executives

    State legislature

    • Democrats controlled both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly. They had a 67-51 majority in the state House and a 37-22 majority in the state Senate.

    Trifecta status

    • Illinois was under divided government, meaning that the two parties shared control of the state government. Bruce Rauner (R) served as governor, while Democrats controlled the state legislature.

    2018 elections

    See also: Illinois elections, 2018

    Illinois held elections for the following positions in 2018:

    Demographics

    Demographic data for Illinois
     IllinoisU.S.
    Total population:12,839,047316,515,021
    Land area (sq mi):55,5193,531,905
    Race and ethnicity**
    White:72.3%73.6%
    Black/African American:14.3%12.6%
    Asian:5%5.1%
    Native American:0.2%0.8%
    Pacific Islander:0%0.2%
    Two or more:2.2%3%
    Hispanic/Latino:16.5%17.1%
    Education
    High school graduation rate:87.9%86.7%
    College graduation rate:32.3%29.8%
    Income
    Median household income:$57,574$53,889
    Persons below poverty level:16.8%11.3%
    Source: U.S. Census Bureau, "American Community Survey" (5-year estimates 2010-2015)
    Click here for more information on the 2020 census and here for more on its impact on the redistricting process in Illinois.
    **Note: Percentages for race and ethnicity may add up to more than 100 percent because respondents may report more than one race and the Hispanic/Latino ethnicity may be selected in conjunction with any race. Read more about race and ethnicity in the census here.

    As of July 2016, Illinois' three largest cities were Chicago (pop. est. 2.7 million), Aurora (pop. est. 200,000), and Joliet (pop. est. 150,000).[12][13]

    State election history

    This section provides an overview of federal and state elections in Illinois from 2000 to 2016. All data comes from the Illinois State Board of Elections.

    Historical elections

    Presidential elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the presidential election in Illinois every year from 2000 to 2016.

    Election results (President of the United States), Illinois 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2016 Democratic Party Hillary Clinton 55.8% Republican Party Donald Trump 38.8% 17.0%
    2012 Democratic Party Barack Obama 57.6% Republican Party Mitt Romney 40.7% 16.9%
    2008 Democratic Party Barack Obama 61.9% Republican Party John McCain 36.8% 25.1%
    2004 Democratic Party John Kerry 54.8% Republican Party George W. Bush 44.5% 10.3%
    2000 Democratic Party Al Gore 54.6% Republican Party George W. Bush 42.6% 12.0%

    U.S. Senate elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of U.S. Senate races in Illinois from 2000 to 2016. Every state has two Senate seats, and each seat goes up for election every six years. The terms of the seats are staggered so that roughly one-third of the seats are up every two years.

    Election results (U.S. Senator), Illinois 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2016 Democratic Party Tammy Duckworth 54.9% Republican Party Mark Kirk 39.8% 15.1%
    2014 Democratic Party Dick Durbin 53.5% Republican Party Jim Oberweis 42.7% 10.8%
    2010 Republican Party Mark Kirk 48.0% Democratic Party Alexander Giannoulias 46.4% 1.6%
    2008 Democratic Party Dick Durbin 67.8% Republican Party Steve Sauerberg 28.5% 39.3%
    2004 Democratic Party Barack Obama 70.0% Republican Party Alan Keyes 27.0% 43.0%
    2002 Democratic Party Dick Durbin 60.3% Republican Party Jim Durkin 38.0% 22.3%

    Gubernatorial elections, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the results of the four gubernatorial elections held between 2000 and 2016. Gubernatorial elections are held every four years in Illinois.

    Election results (Governor), Illinois 2000-2016
    Year First-place candidate First-place candidate votes (%) Second-place candidate Second-place candidate votes (%) Margin of victory (%)
    2014 Republican Party Bruce Rauner 50.3% Democratic Party Pat Quinn 46.3% 4.0%
    2010 Democratic Party Pat Quinn 46.8% Republican Party Bill Brady 45.9% 0.9%
    2006 Democratic Party Rod Blagojevich 49.8% Republican Party Judy Baar Topinka 39.3% 10.5%
    2002 Democratic Party Rod Blagojevich 52.2% Republican Party Jim Ryan 45.1% 7.1%

    Congressional delegation, 2000-2016

    This chart shows the number of Democrats and Republicans who were elected to represent Illinois in the U.S. House from 2000 to 2016. Elections for U.S. House seats are held every two years.

    Congressional delegation, Illinois 2000-2016
    Year Republicans Republicans (%) Democrats Democrats (%) Balance of power
    2016 Republican Party 7 38.9% Democratic Party 11 61.1% D+4
    2014 Republican Party 8 44.4% Democratic Party 10 55.6% D+2
    2012 Republican Party 6 33.3% Democratic Party 12 66.7% D+6
    2010 Republican Party 11 57.9% Democratic Party 8 42.1% R+3
    2008 Republican Party 7 36.8% Democratic Party 12 63.2% D+5
    2006 Republican Party 9 47.4% Democratic Party 10 52.6% D+1
    2004 Republican Party 9 47.4% Democratic Party 10 52.6% D+1
    2002 Republican Party 10 52.6% Democratic Party 9 47.4% R+1
    2000 Republican Party 10 50.0% Democratic Party 10 50.0% Even

    Trifectas, 1992-2017

    A state government trifecta occurs when one party controls both chambers of the state legislature and the governor's office.

    Illinois Party Control: 1992-2025
    Nineteen years of Democratic trifectas  •  Two years of Republican trifectas
    Scroll left and right on the table below to view more years.

    Year 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25
    Governor R R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D R R R R D D D D D D D
    Senate D R R R R R R R R R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D
    House D D D R R D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D D


    Pivot Counties

    See also: Pivot Counties by state

    Eleven of 102 Illinois counties—10.8 percent—are Pivot Counties. These are counties that voted for Barack Obama (D) in 2008 and 2012 and for Donald Trump (R) in 2016. Altogether, the nation had 206 Pivot Counties, with most being concentrated in upper midwestern and northeastern states.

    Counties won by Trump in 2016 and Obama in 2012 and 2008
    County Trump margin of victory in 2016 Obama margin of victory in 2012 Obama margin of victory in 2008
    Alexander County, Illinois 8.30% 13.65% 12.62%
    Carroll County, Illinois 26.69% 1.49% 4.81%
    Fulton County, Illinois 14.93% 11.04% 21.33%
    Henderson County, Illinois 28.43% 12.25% 17.67%
    Henry County, Illinois 20.99% 3.08% 7.74%
    Jo Daviess County, Illinois 14.64% 1.16% 10.49%
    Knox County, Illinois 2.91% 17.37% 19.89%
    Mercer County, Illinois 20.36% 7.39% 11.91%
    Putnam County, Illinois 19.92% 1.82% 15.64%
    Warren County, Illinois 16.50% 5.47% 8.08%
    Whiteside County, Illinois 6.18% 17.02% 17.56%

    In the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton (D) won Illinois with 55.8 percent of the vote. Donald Trump (R) received 38.8 percent. In presidential elections between 1900 and 2016, Illinois voted Republican 50 percent of the time and Democratic 50 percent of the time. Illinois voted Democratic in all five elections from 2000 to 2016.

    Presidential results by legislative district

    The following table details results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections by state House districts in Illinois. Click [show] to expand the table. The "Obama," "Romney," "Clinton," and "Trump" columns describe the percent of the vote each presidential candidate received in the district. The "2012 Margin" and "2016 Margin" columns describe the margin of victory between the two presidential candidates in those years. The "Party Control" column notes which party held that seat heading into the 2018 general election. Data on the results of the 2012 and 2016 presidential elections broken down by state legislative districts was compiled by Daily Kos.[14][15]

    In 2012, Barack Obama (D) won 75 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 39.2 points. In 2016, Hillary Clinton (D) won 76 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 42.1 points. Clinton won 13 districts controlled by Republicans heading into the 2018 elections.
    In 2012, Mitt Romney (R) won 43 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 15 points. In 2016, Donald Trump (R) won 42 out of 118 state House districts in Illinois with an average margin of victory of 22.1 points. Trump won four districts controlled by Democrats heading into the 2018 elections.

    See also

    Illinois government:

    Elections:

    Ballotpedia exclusives:

    External links

    Footnotes

    1. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "General Primary 2014," accessed September 25, 2017
    2. ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "Ill. Rev. Stat. ch. 10, § 5/7–59," accessed September 10, 2025
    3. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Election Day Information," accessed August 12, 2024
    4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Illinois State Board of Elections, "Registering to Vote in Illinois," accessed August 12, 2024
    5. ↑ Ballotpedia Legislation Tracker, "Illinois SB2123," accessed August 12, 2024
    6. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Frequently Asked Questions," accessed August 12, 2024
    7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
    8. ↑ Under federal law, the national mail voter registration application (a version of which is in use in all states with voter registration systems) requires applicants to indicate that they are U.S. citizens in order to complete an application to vote in state or federal elections, but does not require voters to provide documentary proof of citizenship. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the application "may require only the minimum amount of information necessary to prevent duplicate voter registrations and permit State officials both to determine the eligibility of the applicant to vote and to administer the voting process."
    9. ↑ Illinois State Board of Elections, "Illinois Voter Information," June 16, 2015
    10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 Illinois General Assembly, "Illinois Compiled Statutes 10 ILCS 5, Article 19. Voting by Mail," accessed August 12, 2024
    11. ↑ Illinois General Assembly, "Bill Status of SB0825," accessed July 6, 2021
    12. ↑ Illinois Demographics, "Illinois Cities by Population," accessed December 11, 2017
    13. ↑ U.S. Census Bureau, "Quickfacts Illinois," accessed December 11, 2017
    14. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' statewide election results by congressional and legislative districts," July 9, 2013
    15. ↑ Daily Kos, "Daily Kos Elections' 2016 presidential results for congressional and legislative districts," February 6, 2017
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