Turnout

For the primaries, turnout was 31.91%, with 1,963,606 ballots cast (with 1,186,888 Democratic ballots, 729,372 Republican ballots, 674 Harold Washington, and 46,619 nonpartisan ballots cast).^[1]

For the general election, turnout was 52.61%, with 3,219,122 ballots cast.^[3]

Straight-ticket voting

Illinois had a straight-ticket voting option in 1994.^[3]

United States House

All Illinois seats in the United States House of Representatives were up for election in 1994.

The Republican Party flipped two seats from the Democratic Party. Among the two Democrats unseated by Republicans was Ways and Means Chairman Dan Rostenkowski, who had been in congress since 1959.^[4] This left the party composition of Illinois' House delegation 10 Democrats and 10 Republicans.

Governor and Lieutenant Governor

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1994 Illinois gubernatorial election

← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout	50.77%
Nominee Jim Edgar Dawn Clark Netsch Party Republican Democratic Running mate Bob Kustra Penny Severns Popular vote 1,984,318 1,069,850 Percentage 63.9% 34.4%
County results Edgar:      50-60%      60-70%      70-80%      80-90% Netsch:      40–50%
Governor before election Jim Edgar Republican Elected Governor Jim Edgar Republican

Close

Incumbent Governor Jim Edgar, a Republican, won reelection in the greatest landslide in Illinois history, excepting the election of 1818. Edgar carried 101 of the state's 102 counties over the Democratic nominee, State Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch, with Netsch only winning Gallatin County. To date, this is the most recent statewide election in which Cook County voted for the Republican candidate.

Attorney General

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1994 Illinois Attorney General election

← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout	50.34%[3]
Nominee Jim Ryan Al Hofeld Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,651,976 1,371,295 Percentage 53.63% 44.52%
County results Ryan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Hofeld:      40–50%      50–60%
Attorney General before election Roland Burris Democratic Elected Attorney General Jim Ryan Republican

Close

Incumbent Attorney General Roland Burris, a Democrat, did not run for a second term, instead opting (ultimately unsuccessfully) to seek the Democratic nomination for governor. Republican Jim Ryan was elected to succeed him in office.

Secretary of State

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1994 Illinois Secretary of State election

← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout	50.48%[3]
Nominee George Ryan Pat Quinn Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,868,144 1,182,629 Percentage 60.48% 38.29%
County results Ryan:      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Quinn:      40–50%      50–60%
Secretary of State before election George Ryan Republican Elected Secretary of State George Ryan Republican

Close

Incumbent Secretary of State George Ryan was reelected to a second term. As of 2022^[update], this was the last time a Republican was elected Illinois Secretary of State.^{[original research?]}

Comptroller

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1994 Illinois State Comptroller election

← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout	47.99%[3]
Nominee Loleta Didrickson Earlean Collins Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,615,122 1,208,128 Percentage 55.00% 41.14%
County results Didrickson:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Collins:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
State Comptroller before election Dawn Clark Netsch Democratic Elected State Comptroller Loleta Didrickson Republican

Close

Incumbent Comptroller Dawn Clark Netsch, a Democrat, did not seek reelection to a second term, instead opting to run for governor. Republican Loleta Didrickson was elected to succeed her in office.

General election

Treasurer

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1994 Illinois State Treasurer election

← 1990 November 8, 1994 1998 →
Turnout	48.78%[3]
Nominee Judy Baar Topinka Nancy Drew Sheehan Party Republican Democratic Popular vote 1,504,335 1,427,317 Percentage 50.40% 47.82%
County results Topinka:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%      70–80% Sheehan:      40–50%      50–60%      60–70%
Treasurer before election Pat Quinn Democratic Elected Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka Republican

Close

Incumbent Treasurer Pat Quinn, a Democrat, did not run for a second term, instead opting to run for Secretary of State. Republican Judy Baar Topinka was elected to succeed him in office.

State Senate

Some of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1994. Republicans retained control of the Illinois Senate, which they had captured a majority in during the preceding 1992 elections.^[2]

State House of Representatives

All of the seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1994. Republicans flipped control of the Illinois House of Representatives.^[2]

Trustees of the University of Illinois

An election was held for three of nine seats for Trustees of the University of Illinois system for six-year terms.

This was the last election for Trustees of University of Illinois, as this would subsequently become an appointed office.^[12]

The election saw the reelection of incumbent Republican Judith Reese to a second term, as well as the election of new trustees Republican Bill Engelbrecht and Democrat Martha R. O'Malley.^[12]

First-term incumbent Democrat Ken Boyle lost reelection.^[3][12] First-term incumbent Republican Donald W. Grabowski was not nominated for reelection.^[3][12]

Judicial elections

Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 1994.^[3]

Ballot measures

Illinois voters voted on a two ballot measures in 1994,^[13] both of them legislatively referred constitutional amendment In order to be approved, the measures required either 60% support among those specifically voting on the amendment or 50% support among all ballots cast in the elections.^[13]