Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 5, 2002. Primary elections were held on March 19, 2002.
The Democratic Party made gains in these elections, while the Republican Party conversely saw losses. The Democratic Party retained their control of the State House and flipped control of the State Senate. The Democratic Party also won the Governorship and Lieutenant Governorship in their combined election, ending 26 years of Republican control of the state's executive branch. In addition, among the other four statewide elected offices, the Democratic Party retained their hold of two (Secretary of State and Comptroller), while flipping another (Attorney General). This left Illinois TreasurerJudy Baar Topinka as the sole remaining Republican holder of a statewide office.
The losses for Republicans continued a decline of fortunes that had taken place in the state of Illinois over the last several elections for the party, which previously had held all statewide elected offices and both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly in the mid-1990s (following the 1994 elections).
Incumbent Democratic United States Senator Dick Durbin won reelection to a second term.
United States House[]
Main article: 2002 United States House of Representatives elections in Illinois
See also: 2002 United States House of Representatives elections
Illinois had lost one seat in the reapportionment following the 2000 United States Census. All 19 of Illinois' remaining seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 2002.
Before the election, Democrats and Republicans each held 10 seats from Illinois. In 2002, Republicans won 10 seats while Democrats won 9.
Incumbent Attorney GeneralJim Ryan, a Republican, did not seek a third term, instead opting to run for Governor. Democrat Lisa Madigan was elected to succeed him.
59 of 59 seats in the Illinois Senate 30 seats needed for a majority
Majority party
Minority party
Third party
Leader
Emil Jones
James Philip
N/A
Party
Democratic
Republican
Independent
Leader's seat
N/A
Seats won
32
26
1
Seat change
5
6
1
President before election
James Philip Republican
Elected President
Emil Jones Democratic
All 59 of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 2002,[4] as this election followed a redistricting. Control of the Illinois Senate was flipped from Republican to Democratic.[5] Republicans had been in control of the State Senate since 1993, having captured a majority from the 1992 election.[5]
State House of Representatives[]
2002 Illinois House of Representatives election
← 2000
November 5, 2002 (2002-11-05)
2004 →
All 118 seats in the Illinois House of Representatives 60 seats needed for a majority
Majority party
Minority party
Leader
Michael Madigan
Tom Cross
Party
Democratic
Republican
Leader's seat
22nd
97th
Last election
62
56
Seats won
66
52
Seat change
4
4
Speaker before election
Michael Madigan Democratic
Speaker-Elect
Michael Madigan Democratic
All of the seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 2002. Democrats retained control of the Illinois House of Representatives, which they had held since 1997, having won a majority in the 1996 election.[5]
Judicial elections[]
Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 2002.
Local elections[]
Local elections were held. These included county elections, such as the Cook County elections.
Notes[]
^For more on Cook County primary election turnout, see 2002 Cook County, Illinois elections#Primary election
^For more on Cook County general election turnout, see 2002 Cook County, Illinois elections#General election
^Key: A – all adults RV – registered voters LV – likely voters V – unclear
References[]
^ abcd"Voter Turnout". www.elections.il.gov. Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 25 March 2020.