Turnout in the primary election was 27.38%, with a total of 1,622,410 ballots cast.[2] 949,426 Democratic and 672,984 Republican primary ballots were cast.[1]
Turnout during the general election was 64.65%, with 3,856,875 ballots cast.[2]
Allegations of fraud
In November 1982, twenty-six people, a majority of them election officials, were indicted for election fraud in federal court by US Attorney Dan K. Webb.[3]
The gubernatorial election result has been questioned. Some Democrats have alleged that fraud might have committed by Republicans in areas outside Chicago to secure Thompson his victory.[3] In 2016, Rudy Giuliani suggested that the gubernatorial results had been fraudulent on the part of Chicago Democrats.[4]
Incumbent GovernorJames R. Thompson, a Republican, narrowly won reelection to a third term, defeating Democrat Adlai Stevenson III by merely 5,074 votes.George Ryan joined Thompson on the Republican ticket, and won a first term as Lieutenant Governor.
The election was surprisingly close, as, before the election, Thompson had been favored by polls and predictions to win by roughly twenty percentage points.[6]
Incumbent TreasurerJerome Cosentino, a Democrat, did not run for a second term, instead opting to run for Secretary of State. Democrat James Donnewald was elected to succeed him in office.
As this was the first election after a redistricting, all of the seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1982. Democrats retained control of the chamber.
Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 1982.
Ballot measures
Illinois voters voted on a single ballot measure in 1982.[9] 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.[9]