Elections were held for Clerk of the Circuit Court, Recorder of Deeds, State's Attorney, one seat on the Cook County Board of Appeals, three seats on the Water Reclamation District Board, and judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County.
1988 was a presidential election year in the United States. The primaries and general elections for Cook County races coincided with those for federal races (President and House) and those for state elections.
Voter turnout[]
Primary election[]
Turnout in the primaries was 45.63%, with 1,236,750 ballots cast.[2][3]
The general election saw turnout of 72.56%, with 2,095,985 ballots cast.[4] Chicago saw 1,14,080 ballots cast, and suburban Cook County saw 981,905 ballots cast.[1]
Straight-ticket voting[]
Ballots had a straight-ticket voting option in 1988.[1]
In the 1988 Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County election, incumbent clerk Morgan M. Finley, a Democrat, did not seek reelection. Democrat Aurelia Pucinski was elected to succeed him.
Primaries[]
Democratic[]
Candidates
The following candidates ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Clerk of the Circuit Court:
Candidate
Experience
Ref
Jane Byrne
Former mayor of Chicago (1979–1983)
Thomas S. Fuller
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago since 1978
Commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago since 1984
Results
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Democratic primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Aurelia Marie Pucinski
407,958
51.96
Democratic
Jane M. Byrne
296,298
37.74
Democratic
Thomas S. Fuller
60,863
7.75
Democratic
Janice A. Hart
20,061
2.55
Total votes
785,180
100
Republican[]
Candidate
The following candidate ran for the Republican Party nomination for Clerk of the Circuit Court:
Candidate
Experience
Ref
Edward Vrdolyak
Former Chicago alderman (1971–1987), former president of the Chicago City Council (1977–1983), former Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party (1982–1987), 1987Illinois Solidarity Party nominee for mayor of Chicago
Results
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County Republican primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
Edward R. Vrdolyak
191,798
100
Total votes
191,798
100
Illinois Solidarity[]
No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary.[2]
General election[]
Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County election[1]
In the 1988 Cook County Recorder of Deeds election, incumbent first-term recorder of deeds Harry Yourell, a Democrat, did not seek reelection, instead running to be a commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Democrat Carol Moseley Braun was elected to succeed him.
Mosely Braun's election made her the first African-American to hold the office of Cook County recorder of deeds.[7]
Primaries[]
Democratic[]
Candidates
The following candidate ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Cook County Recorder of Deeds Court:
Candidate
Experience
Ref
Sheila A. Jones
Perennial candidate
Carol Moseley Braun
Member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 1979
Results
Cook County Recorder of Deeds Democratic primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Carol Moseley Braun
424,480
78.05
Democratic
Sheila A. Jones
119,372
21.95
Total votes
543,852
100
Republican[]
Candidates
The following candidate ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Cook County Recorder of Deeds Court:
In the 1988 Cook County Board of Appeals special election, one seat on the board were up for election. Due to the death of Harry Semrow, this special election was held to fill the seat he had served on.[8] Democrat Joseph Berrios was elected to fill the seat.
Thomas A. Jaconetty had been appointed to hold the seat until the new commissioner elected in this race would be seated.[8]
Primaries[]
Democratic[]
31st Ward committeeman Joseph Berrios, the Democratic Party organization-endorsed candidate, won the Democratic primary.[2][8]
Cook County Board of Appeals Democratic primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Joseph Berrios
302,253
54.47
Democratic
Jeffrey Paul Smith
252,633
45.53
Total votes
554,886
100
Republican[]
Cook County Board of Appeals Republican primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Republican
David R. Wiltse
154,447
100
Total votes
154,447
100
Illinois Solidarity[]
No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary.[2]
General election[]
Cook County Board of Appeals Democratic primary[2]
Party
Candidate
Votes
%
Democratic
Joseph Berrios
1,170,558
60.68
Republican
David R. Wiltse
714,736
39.32
Total votes
1,885,294
100
Water Reclamation District Board[]
1988 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election
← 1986
November 8, 1988
1990 →
3 of 9 seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
In the 1988 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election, three of the nine seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago board were up for election in an at-large election.[1] All three Democratic nominees won.[1]
Judicial elections[]
Pasrtisan elections were held for judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County due to vacancies.[1]Retention elections were also held for the Circuit Court.[1]
Other elections[]
Coinciding with the primaries, elections were held to elect the Democratic, Republican, and Illinois Solidarity committeemen for the wards of Chicago.[2]