The Cook County, Illinois, general election was held on November 8, 1988.

Primaries were held March 15, 1988.

Elections were held for Clerk of the Circuit Court, Recorder of Deeds, State's Attorney, one seat on the Cook County Board of Appeals, three seats on the Water Reclamation District Board, and judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County.

Election information 1988 was a presidential election year in the United States. The primaries and general elections for Cook County races coincided with those for federal races (President and House) and those for state elections.

Political context After Harold Washington's 1987 re-election as Chicago mayor and the end of the Council Wars gridlock on the Chicago City Council, Washington reconciled with the Cook County Regular Democratic Organization. Before his death in November 1987, he endorsed the regular organization's slate of candidates for Cook County office in 1988 (Richard M. Daley for re-election as state's attorney; Aurelia Pucinski for clerk of courts; and Carol Moseley-Braun for recorder of deeds).

Voter turnout Primary election Turnout in the primaries was 45.63%, with 1,236,750 ballots cast.

+ Vote totals of primaries Primary Chicago vote totals Suburban Cook County vote totals Total Cook County vote totals Democratic 742,281 244,812 987,093 Republican 83,625 161,042 244,667 Illinois Solidarity 127 77 204 Nonpartisan 733 6,053 6,786 Total 826,766 411,984 1,236,750

General election The general election saw turnout of 72.56%, with 2,095,985 ballots cast. Chicago saw 1,14,080 ballots cast, and suburban Cook County saw 981,905 ballots cast.

Straight-ticket voting Ballots had a straight-ticket voting option in 1988.

Party Number ofstraight-ticketvotes Democratic442,219 Republican276,923 Communist102 Illinois Solidarity508 John Davis Comm. Act.0 Independent Tax Reform 974 Independent Progressive 0 Libertarian1,531 Marie Goodlow Party 348

Clerk of the Circuit Court

In the 1988 Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County election, incumbent clerk Morgan M. Finley, a Democrat, did not seek reelection. Democrat Aurelia Pucinski was elected to succeed him.

Primaries Democratic Candidates The following candidates ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Clerk of the Circuit Court: CandidateExperienceRefJane Byrne Former mayor of Chicago (1979–1983)Thomas S. FullerCommissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago since 1978Janice Hart 1984 Democratic nominee for Illinois Secretary of State, supporter of the LaRouche movement Aurelia PucinskiCommissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago since 1984

Results

Republican Candidate The following candidate ran for the Republican Party nomination for Clerk of the Circuit Court: CandidateExperienceRefEdward Vrdolyak Former Chicago alderman (1971–1987), former president of the Chicago City Council (1977–1983), former Chairman of the Cook County Democratic Party (1982–1987), 1987 Illinois Solidarity Party nominee for mayor of Chicago

Results

Illinois Solidarity No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary.

General election

Recorder of Deeds

In the 1988 Cook County Recorder of Deeds election, incumbent first-term recorder of deeds Harry Yourell, a Democrat, did not seek reelection, instead running to be a commissioner of the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago. Democrat Carol Moseley Braun was elected to succeed him.

Mosely Braun's election made her the first African-American to hold the office of Cook County recorder of deeds.

Primaries Democratic Candidates The following candidate ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Cook County Recorder of Deeds Court: CandidateExperienceRefSheila A. Jones Perennial candidateCarol Moseley Braun Member of the Illinois House of Representatives since 1979

Results

Republican Candidates The following candidate ran for the Democratic Party nomination for Cook County Recorder of Deeds Court: CandidateExperienceRefMaureen Murphy Worth Township ClerkBernard Stone Chicago alderman since 1973

Results

Illinois Solidarity No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary. The party ultimately nominated Edward M. Wojkowski.

General election

State's Attorney

In the 1988 Cook County State's Attorney election, incumbent second-term state's attorney Richard M. Daley, a Democrat, was reelected.

Primaries Democratic

Republican

Illinois Solidarity No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary.

General election

Cook County Board of Appeals (special election)

In the 1988 Cook County Board of Appeals special election, one seat on the board were up for election. Due to the death of Harry Semrow, this special election was held to fill the seat he had served on. Democrat Joseph Berrios was elected to fill the seat.

Thomas A. Jaconetty had been appointed to hold the seat until the new commissioner elected in this race would be seated.

Primaries Democratic 31st Ward committeeman Joseph Berrios, the Democratic Party organization-endorsed candidate, won the Democratic primary.

Republican The Republican Party nominated David R. Wiltse, an attorney who had worked in various positions for the state of Illinois and at the time of the election was a special assistant attorney general representing the Illinois Lottery. After losing the general election, Wiltse would remain in that office until 1994. In 1993, he began working as the city attorney of Des Plaines, an office he would hold until retiring in 2012. Wiltse would later run unsuccessfully for judgeships on the Cook County Circuit Court in 1998 and 2001.Multiple sources:

Illinois Solidarity No candidates ran in the Illinois Solidarity Party primary.

General election

Water Reclamation District Board

In the 1988 Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago election, three of the nine seats on the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago board were up for election in an at-large election. All three Democratic nominees won.

Judicial elections Pasrtisan elections were held for judgeships on the Circuit Court of Cook County due to vacancies. Retention elections were also held for the Circuit Court.

Other elections Coinciding with the primaries, elections were held to elect the Democratic, Republican, and Illinois Solidarity committeemen for the wards of Chicago.

See also 1988 Illinois elections

References