Illinois' November 2010 elections resulted in the Republican party gaining a Senate seat and at least three seats in the House of Representatives. Two days after the polls closed, Pat Quinn was finally projected as the winner in the Governor's race by the Associated Press.http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20021857-503544.html

In the Governor's race, the vote count stretched the race across the two days with the Associate Press release declaring Quinn as the winner said only 20,000 votes separated him from his opponent Republican Bill Brady.http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20021857-503544.html Quinn ended the election with 47% of the vote over Brady's 46%.http://www.foxnews.com/interactive/politics/candidate-list/#state=IL

As the votes were counted, with 97% reporting, FOX News announced Mark Kirk as the winner in the Senate race, giving the Republican party a seat gain. Kirk and his Democratic opponent, state Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias exchanged the lead in the race several times up to the point of announcement. With 99% of the votes reported, Kirk had gained 48% of the vote over Giannoulias' 46% giving the Republican party a new position in the Senate.http://www.foxnews.com/interactive/politics/candidate-list/#state=IL Both candidates struggled with heavy baggage during the campaign with Giannoulias trying to distance himself from the backlash of his family's collapsed bank and Kirk having to explain an embellished resume.http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/11/02/AR2010110207526.html

In the 2010 House of Representatives races, Fox News reported winners early in the evening in all districts except District 8. In District 8, the race between Republican Joe Walsh and Democratic candidate Melissa Bean remained undecided even when the Governor's race was declared two days after the vote. With all votes tallied, it appears Walsh leads the incumbent, Bean, by less than 1000 votes but the race has not officially declared. A Walsh victory would add to the number of gains by the Republicans in 2010.http://www.foxnews.com/interactive/politics/candidate-list/#state=I In District 10, Robert Dold, Republican,defeated Democratic candidate Daniel Seals by a 51% to 49% margin to retain the seat for Republicans. In District 11, the Democrats lost a seat when Republican Adam Kinzinger defeated incumbent Debbie Halvorson. In District 14, the Democratic incumbent, Bill Foster lost his seat to Randy Hultgren and in District 17, Republicans took the seat with a win by Bobby Schilling over incumbent Phil Hare.http://www.foxnews.com/interactive/politics/candidate-list/#state=IL

Winners in the 2010 House of Representative races include the following:http://www.foxnews.com/interactive/politics/candidate-list/#state=IL

• District 1 - Bobby Rush (D)
• District 2 - Jesse Jackson (D)
• District 3 - Daniel Lipinski (D)
• District 4 - Luis Gutierrez (D)
• District 5 - Mike Quigley (D)
• District 6 - Peter Roskam (R)
• District 7 - Danny Davis (D)
• District 8 - WINNER UNDECIDED: Joe Walsh (R) 49% leads Melissa Bean 48% (D) with 100% of votes reported
• District 9 - Jan Schakowsky (D)
• District 10 - Robert Dold (R)
• District 11 - Adam Kinzinger (R)- Seat gain for Republicans
• District 12 - Jerry Costello (D)
• District 13 - Judy Biggert (R)
• District 14 - Randy Hultgren (R) - Seat gain for Republicans
• District 15 - Tim Johnson (R)
• District 16 - Donald Manzullo (R)
• District 17 - Bobby Schilling (R) - Seat Gain for Republicans
• District 18 - Aaron Schock (R)
• District 19 - John Shimkus (R)

The Illinois primaries are held every year on the first Tuesday in February. Illinois joined the United States in 1818 and has swung from being prominently Republican to heavily Democratic.

After six straight presidential elections that saw the state run safely Republican starting in 1968 and ending in 1988, Democrats have won the last five presidential elections, including Barack Obama beating John McCain in the 2004 election by more than 25 percent http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/results/state/#val=IL

Mayoral races as well as city council primaries will also be held on the same day as the federal seats’ primaries. Like every other state in the union, Illinois’ general election is held on the first Tuesday of the following November. The primaries determine one candidate from each major political party, (Democrat, Republican) and can also feature members from political parties such as the Green Party or the Libertarian Party. Those winning the General Election in November will take office the following January.http://www.elections.il.gov/Default.aspx

Illinois’ 2010 primaries occurred on February 2nd, 2010. The General Elections will be held on November 2nd, 2010

Key Primary Election Results

Governor

• Republican: Bill Brady beat out Kirk Dillard by just 420 votes
• Democratic: IncumbentPat Quinn beat Daniel Hynes by just 8,087 votes

Senate

• Republican: Mark Kirk beat Patrick Hughes 57 percent to 19 percent
• Democratic: Alexi Giannoulias beats David Hoffman 39 percent to 34 percent

United States House, and other statewide primary results can be found on the Chicago Sun-Times election results page http://www.suntimes.com/news/elections/results/congress/index.html

Key General Election Results: Available after November 2nd, 2010

Barack Obama was elected the 44th President of the United States with the help of Illinois's 21 electoral votes. Illinois has voted Democratic in the last four presidential elections and 2008 polls showed Obama with a 25 point lead going into Election Day.270 to Win: Illinois Dick Durbin, the incumbent Senator, won his re-election campaign against challenger Steve Sauerberg.

• Senate:
  • Winner: Incumbent Richard Durbin (D)
  • Challenger: Steve Sauerberg (R)
• 19 Representatives
• State Supreme Court Justice: 1
• State Appellate Court Justices: 3

• 2008: Barack Obama
• 2004: John Kerry
• 2000: Al Gore
• 1996: Bill Clinton
• 1992: Bill Clinton
• 1988: George H. W. Bush
• 1984: Ronald Reagan
• 1980: Ronald Reagan
• 1976: Gerald Ford
• 1972: Richard Nixon
• 1968: Richard Nixon

• Winner of Illinois Gubernatorial Election: Rod Blagojevich
• Margin of victory: 50% to 40%

• CNN.com: Illinois Election Results 2006
• The Washington Post: Illinois Election Results 2006

• 2004 Presidential Election Winner: George W. Bush

• Winner of Illinois's Twenty-One Electoral Votes: John Kerry
• Margin of victory: 55% to 45%

• Winner of Illinois Senate Seat: Barack Obama
• Margin of victory: 70% to 27%

• The Washington Post: Illinois Election Results 2004
• CNN: Illinois Election Results 2004

• Illinois State Board of Elections Voting and Elections