Elections were held in Illinois on Tuesday, November 7, 1950.[ 1]
Primaries were held April 11, 1950.[ 1]
1950 was a midterm election year in the United States.
In the primary election 1,789,787 ballots were cast (912,563 Democratic and 877,224 Republican).[ 1]
In the general election 3,731,618 ballots were cast.[ 1] [ 2]
United States Senate [ edit ]
Incumbent Senate Majority Leader Scott W. Lucas , a two-term incumbent Democratic senator, lost reelection to Republican Everett Dirksen .
United States House [ edit ]
All 26 Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1950.
Republicans flipped four Republican-held seats, leaving the Illinois House delegation to consist of 18 Republicans and 8 Democrats.
1950 Illinois State Treasurer election
Incumbent first-term Treasurer , Democrat Ora Smith , did not seek reelection, instead running for Clerk of the Supreme Court. Republican William Stratton was elected to succeed him, earning Stratton a second non-consecutive term as Treasurer.
Former Illinois Treasurer and congressman William Stratton won the Republican primary. He defeated Cook County Treasurer Louis E. Nelson,[ 3] former congressman James Simpson Jr. , fellow former Illinois Treasurer Warren E. Wright , Chicago alderman Theron W. Merryman ,[ 4] among others.
Superintendent of Public Instruction [ edit ]
1950 Illinois Superintendent of Public Instruction election
Incumbent Superintendent of Public Instruction Vernon L. Nickell , a Republican, was reelected to a third term.
Clerk of the Supreme Court [ edit ]
1950 Illinois Clerk of the Supreme Court election
Incumbent Clerk of the Supreme Court Earle Benjamin Searcy , a Republican, was reelected.
Illinois Treasurer Ora Smith won the Democratic primary, running unopposed.
Incumbent Earle Benjamin Searcy won the Republican primary, defeating three challengers.
Seats in the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1950. Republicans flipped control of the chamber.
State House of Representatives [ edit ]
Seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1950. Republicans remained in control of the chamber.
Trustees of University of Illinois [ edit ]
1950 Trustees of University of Illinois election
An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of University of Illinois .
New Republican members Harold "Red" Grange Wayne A. Johnston, and Herbert B. Megran were elected.[ 1] [ 5]
Second-term Democrat Karl A. Meyer lost reelection.[ 1] [ 5] Democrat Kenney E. Williamson (serving his first full, and second overall term) also lost reelection.[ 1] [ 5] Incumbent first-term Democrat Walter W. McLaughlin was not nominated for reelection, with former member Harold Pogue nominated instead.[ 1] [ 5]
On April 11, two special elections were held, one to fill a vacancy of the Circuit Court of Cook County and one to fill a vacancy on the Superior Court of Cook County .
One measure was put before voters in 1950, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment .
In order to be approved, it required approval equal to a majority of voters voting in the entire general election.[ 6]
Illinois Gateway Amendment [ edit ]
The Illinois Gateway Amendment, a legislatively referred constitutional amendment to Section 2 of Article XIV of the Constitution, was approved by voters.[ 1] [ 7] It made it so that the legislature would be able to propose modifications of up to three articles of the constitution per session, and also made it so that future constitutional amendments would require either a two-thirds vote of the voters voting on the question or a majority of voter voting in the election.[ 7]
Illinois Gateway Amendment[ 1]
Option
Votes on measure
% of all ballots cast
Yes
2,512,323
67.33
No
735,903
19.72
Total votes
3,248,226
87.05
Local elections were held.
^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "OFFICIAL VOTE of the STATE OF ILLINOIS Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION, November 7, 1950 JUDICIAL ELECTION, 1950, • PRIMARY ELECTION General Primary, April 11, 1950" (PDF) . Illinois State Board of Elections. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 13, 2021. Retrieved July 9, 2020 .
^ "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 2, 1982" (PDF) . www.elections.il.gov . Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved July 4, 2020 .[permanent dead link ]
^ The National Corporation Reporter . United States Corporation Bureau, Incorporated. 1947. Retrieved July 9, 2020 .
^ Ambrosius, Andy (March 8, 2013). "Nearly $500K Injected into Merryman Park Renovations (PHOTOS)" . Lake View, IL Patch . Retrieved July 9, 2020 .
^ a b c d e "Trustees, University of Illinois Board of Trustees" (PDF) . University of Illinois. Retrieved April 1, 2020 .
^ Illinois Constitution of 1870 ARTICLE XIV Section 2
^ a b "Illinois Gateway Amendment (1950)" . Ballotpedia . Retrieved August 4, 2020 .