ELECTORAL VOTES 21

2008 ELECTION Leaning Democrat

ABOUT
ILLINOIS

Illinois became a state in December 1818. Largely Republican from the Civil War through the 1920s, the state voted Democratic throughout the Great Depression and World War II, then returned to the Republicans for eight out of 10 elections from 1952 through 1988. Illinois has voted Democratic in the last four elections. In 2004, John Kerry beat George W. Bush 55% to 44%. The state is likely to be “blue” again in 2008, particularly if home-state Senator Barack Obama heads the Democratic ticket. With 21 electoral votes, the state is the largest electoral prize in the Midwest, although nearby Ohio, with 20, gets much more visibility in the general election thanks to the fact that it is much more of a swing state. Like many other northern industrial states, Illinois has lost electoral influence as its population has not grown with the rest of the country. The state has lost more than 25% of its electoral votes since peaking at 29 during the 1930s. Pending the outcome of the 2010 census, Illinois may lose one more electoral vote in 2012.