Turnout in the primary election was 43.50%, with a total of 2,493,518 ballots cast.[3] 1,321,810 Democratic and 1,171,708 Republican primary ballots were cast.[2]
Turnout during the general election was 78.14%, with 4,868,623 ballots cast.[1][3]
All of Illinois' 24 congressional seats were up for reelection in November 1980.
In the November election, none of Illinois' seats switched parties, with there remaining 14 Republican and seats 10 Democratic seats in Illinois' House of Representatives delegation.
State elections
State Senate
Some seats of the Illinois Senate were up for election in 1980. Democrats retained control of the chamber.
The election saw the reelection first-term incumbent Democratic Nina T. Shepherd and the election of new members, Republicans Galey S. Day and Dean E. Madden.[1][4]
First-term incumbent Democrats Arthur R. Velasquez and Robert J. Lenz lost reelection.[1][4]
Trustees of the University of Illinois election[1][4]
Multiple judicial positions were up for election in 1980.
Ballot measures
Illinois voters voted on a two ballot measures in 1980.[5] In order to be approved, the measures required either 60% support among those specifically voting on the measure or 50% support among all ballots cast in the elections.[5]
Voters approved the Size of State House of Representatives Amendment (also known as "Amendment 1", the "Legislative Article", and the "Cutback Amendment"), which was an initiated constitutional amendment that amended Article IV, Sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Constitution of Illinois to reduce the size of the Illinois House of Representatives from 177 to 118 members, eliminated cumulative voting, and replace the use of multi-member districts with single-member districts.[1][5][6][7]
Size of State House of Representatives Amendment[1][5][7]
Option
Votes
% of votes on referendum
% of all ballots cast
Yes
2,112,224
68.70
43.38
No
962,325
31.30
19.77
Total votes
3,074,549
100
63.15
Voter turnout
49.35%
Sale of Tax Delinquent Property Amendment
Voters approved the Sale of Tax Delinquent Property Amendment (also known as the "Revenue Article" and "Article 2"), which was a legislatively referred constitutional amendment that amended Article IX, Section 8 of the Constitution of Illinois to reduce the redemption period on the sale of tax delinquent property.[1][5][8][9]
Sale of Tax Delinquent Property Amendment[1][5][8]