For the primaries, turnout was 43.68%, with 2,561,882 ballots cast (with 1,663,422 Democratic ballots, 878,438 Republican ballots, and 49,672 nonpartisan ballots cast).[2]
For the general election, turnout was 78.24%, with 5,164,357 ballots cast.[1]
This represented a realigning election for Illinois in regards to presidential politics. This was the first time since 1964 that Illinois voted for the Democratic ticket in a presidential election. This ended a streak of six consecutive elections in which the state had voted for the Republican ticket. It also began a streak that, as of the 2020 election, continues, in which the state has voted for the Democratic ticket in eight consecutive presidential elections.
Incumbent Democrat Alan J. Dixon was unseated, losing the Democratic primary to Carol Moseley Braun. Braun defeated Republican nominee Richard S. Williamson in the general election, becoming the first female African-American senator in United States history, as well as the first African-American elected to the United States Senate as a Democrat, and the first female senator elected from Illinois.
Before the election, Democrats held fifteen seats from Illinois, while Republicans held seven. In 1992, Democrats won twelve seats while Republicans won eight.
State elections
State Senate
As this was the first election following a redistricting, all of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1992. Republicans flipped control of the Illinois Senate.[3]
State House of Representatives
All of the seats in the Illinois House of Representatives were up for election in 1992. Democrats retained control of the Illinois House of Representatives.[3]
Trustees of the University of Illinois
1992 Trustees of the University of Illinois election
The election saw the reelection of incumbent Democrat Judith Calder to a second, as well as the election of new trustees, Democrats Jeff Gindorf and Ada Lopez.[4]
Incumbent Republican Dave Downey, who had been appointed in 1991, lost reelection.[1][4] Third-term incumbent Democrat Nina T. Shepherd was not nominated for reelection.[1][4]
Trustees of the University of Illinois election[1][4]
Two of the measures were legislatively referred constitutional amendments. In order to be approved, the legislatively referred constitutional amendments required either 60% support among those specifically voting on the amendment or 50% support among all ballots cast in the elections.[5]
Voters approved the Crime Victim Rights Amendment (also known as "Amendment 1", a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which added Article I, Section 8.1 to the Constitution of Illinois. This guarantees crime victims certain rights, including the right to receive information about cases in which they are involved.[5][6]
Crime Victim Rights Amendment
Option
Votes
% of votes on measure
% of all ballots cast
Yes
2,964,592
80.56
57.40
No
715,602
19.45
13.86
Total votes
3,680,194
100
71.26
Voter turnout
55.76%
Education Equality Amendment
The Education Equality Amendment (also known as "Amendment 2"), a legislatively referred constitutional amendment which would have amended of Article X, Section 1 of the Constitution of Illinois to mandate for equal opportunity in education, failed to meet either threshold to amend the constitution.[5][7]
