Closest U.S. Senate elections in Illinois
The closest U.S. Senate election in Illinois history was in 1914, a margin of 1.7 points. Lawrence Y. Sherman beat Roger C. Sullivan, 390,661 to 373,403. Next closest are 1984 (1.9 points) and 1998 (2.9 points).
Every state is ranked together on Closest U.S. Senate elections in history. For every Senate race Illinois has held, special elections included, see the Illinois U.S. Senate hub.
What is the closest Senate race in Illinois history?
The Illinois Senate election decided by the narrowest margin was in 1914, 1.7 points. Lawrence Y. Sherman beat Roger C. Sullivan, 390,661 to 373,403. The next closest were 1984 (1.9 points) and 1998 (2.9 points).
How is the margin measured?
As the gap in vote share between the first and second-place finishers, from the certified general-election count. It is not adjusted for recounts, runoffs or later court rulings; the figure is the result as certified.
Does this include special elections?
No. These are the regular general elections for Illinois’s two Senate seats. Special elections to fill a vacancy appear on the Illinois Senate hub, which lists every race including specials, and in a few states one of those is closer than anything here.
Why does the list start in 1914?
Because senators were chosen by state legislatures before the Seventeenth Amendment. 1914 is the first cycle of the popular-vote era for the Senate, so it is the first Illinois election with a popular margin to measure.
| # | Election | Result | Votes | Margin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1914 | Lawrence Y. Sherman R def. Roger C. Sullivan D | 390,661 – 373,403 | 1.7 points |
| 2 | 1984 | Paul Simon D def. Charles H. Percy R | 2,397,165 – 2,308,039 | 1.9 points |
| 3 | 1998 | Peter G. Fitzgerald R def. Carol Moseley-Braun D | 1,709,041 – 1,610,496 | 2.9 points |
| 4 | 1938 | Scott W. Lucas D def. Richard J. Lyons R | 1,638,162 – 1,542,574 | 3.0 points |
| 5 | 1926 | Frank L. Smith R def. George E. Brennan D | 842,273 – 774,943 | 3.7 points |
| 6 | 1944 | Scott W. Lucas D def. Richard J. Lyons R | 2,059,023 – 1,841,793 | 5.5 points |
| 7 | 1918 | Medill McCormick R def. J. Hamilton Lewis D | 479,983 – 426,943 | 5.6 points |
| 8 | 1962 | Everett M. Dirksen R def. Sidney R. Yates D | 1,961,202 – 1,748,007 | 5.7 points |
| 9 | 1966 | Everett M. Dirksen R def. William G. Clark D | 2,358,947 – 2,073,242 | 6.4 points |
| 10 | 1942 | C. Wayland Brooks R def. Raymond S. McKeough D | 1,582,887 – 1,380,011 | 6.8 points |
| 11 | 1954 | Paul H. Douglas D def. Joseph T. Meek R | 1,804,338 – 1,563,683 | 7.1 points |
| 12 | 1978 | Charles H. Perey R def. Alex Smith D | 1,698,711 – 1,448,187 | 7.9 points |
| 13 | 1950 | Everett M. Dirksen R def. Scott W. Lucas D | 1,951,984 – 1,657,630 | 8.1 points |
| 14 | 1956 | Everett M. Dirksen R def. Richard Stengel D | 2,307,352 – 1,949,883 | 8.4 points |
| 15 | 1960 | Paul H. Douglas D def. Samuel W. Witwer R | 2,530,943 – 2,093,846 | 9.4 points |
| 16 | 1992 | Carol Moseley-Braun D def. Richard S. Williamson R | 2,631,229 – 2,126,833 | 10.2 points |
| 17 | 1948 | Paul H. Douglas D def. C. Wayland Brooks R | 2,147,754 – 1,740,026 | 10.5 points |
| 18 | 2014 | Richard J. Durbin D def. James D. Jim Oberweis R | 1,929,637 – 1,538,522 | 10.9 points |
| 19 | 1932 | Wiliiam H. Dietrich D def. Otis F. Glenn R | 1,882,304 – 1,432,841 | 13.3 points |
| 20 | 1980 | Alan J. Dixon D def. David C. O'Neal R | 2,565,302 – 1,946,296 | 13.5 points |
| 21 | 2016 | Tammy Duckworth D def. Mark Steven Kirk R | 3,012,940 – 2,184,692 | 15.1 points |
| 22 | 1968 | Adlai Stevenson III D def. Ralph Tyler Smith R | 2,065,054 – 1,519,718 | 15.2 points |
| 23 | 2022 | Tammy Duckworth D def. Kathy Salvi R | 2,329,136 – 1,701,055 | 15.3 points |
| 24 | 1996 | Richard J. Durbin D def. Al Salvi R | 2,384,028 – 1,728,824 | 15.4 points |
| 25 | 1936 | J. Hamilton Lewis D def. Otis F. Glenn R | 2,142,887 – 1,545,170 | 15.8 points |