1970 United States Senate special election in Illinois

The 1970 United States Senate special election in Illinois was held on November 3, 1970[1] to fill the remainder of the term of Republican Everett Dirksen, who had died in office. Republican Ralph Tyler Smith had been appointed to fill the seat after Dirksen's death, and he lost the special election to Democrat Adlai Stevenson III.

1970 United States Senate special election in Illinois

November 3, 1970
Turnout67.43%
 
Nominee Adlai Stevenson III Ralph Tyler Smith
Party Democratic Republican
Popular vote 2,065,054 1,519,718
Percentage 57.37% 42.22%

County Results
Stevenson:      50–60%      60–70%
Smith:      50–60%      60–70%

U.S. senator before election

Ralph Tyler Smith
Republican

Elected U.S. senator

Adlai Stevenson III
Democratic

Election information

The primaries and general election coincided with those for House and state elections.

Primaries were held on March 17.[1][2]

Turnout

Turnout in the primary elections was 26.28%, with a total of 1,381,147 votes cast.[1]

Turnout during the general election was 67.43%, with 3,599,272 votes cast.[1]

Democratic primary

Democratic primary[1][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adlai E. Stevenson, III 676,689 99.99
Write-in Others 61 0.01
Total votes 676,750 100

Republican primary

Republican primary[1][2]
Party Candidate Votes %
Republican Ralph Tyler Smith (incumbent) 414,489 58.84
Republican William H. Rentschler 271,648 38.57
Republican Lar "America First" Daly 18,244 2.59
Write-in Others 16 0.00
Total votes 704,397 100

General election

General election[1][3]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Adlai Stevenson III 2,065,054 57.37%
Republican Ralph Tyler Smith (incumbent) 1,519,718 42.22%
Socialist Workers Lynn Henderson 8,859 0.25%
Socialist Labor Louis Fisher 5,564 0.15%
None Scattering 77 0.00%
Majority 545,336 15.15%
Turnout 3,599,272
Democratic gain from Republican

References

  1. "OFFICIAL VOTE Cast at the GENERAL ELECTION NOVEMBER 3, 1970 JUDICIAL • MEMBERS OF CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION PRIMARY AND GENERAL • PROPOSED 1970 CONSTITUTION • SPECIAL ELECTIONS • PRIMARY ELECTION GENERAL PRIMARY, MARCH, 17, 1970" (PDF). Illinois State Board of Elections. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
  2. Illinois Blue Book 1969-1970. Illinois Secretary of State. p. 854. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
  3. "Statistics of the Congressional Election of November 3, 1970" (PDF). Clerk of the United States House of Representatives. p. 7. Retrieved March 13, 2015.
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