John F. Kennedy carried Illinois and its 27 electoral votes in 1960 by fewer than 9,000 votes.1 Scrutiny centered on Chicago, where, the Miller Center notes, Mayor Richard Daley delivered an unusually good result for Kennedy.2 Rumors spread that Daley's organization had stuffed ballot boxes in Cook County, and Democrats made similar charges against Republicans in southern Illinois.3
Cook County's state's attorney, Benjamin Adamowski, who had lost his own race by 25,000 votes, led the challenge and obtained a recount.4 Completed on December 9, the recount of 863 precincts found Nixon's vote undercounted by 943, far short of the 4,500 needed to change the result.5 Republican suits in federal court were dismissed, and the State Board of Elections, four of whose five members were Republicans, unanimously rejected the party's petition.6
Writing in 2000, historian David Greenberg noted that an Illinois special prosecutor in 1961 also saw no reason to overturn the result.7 A 1961 study by three University of Chicago professors and later research by political scientist Edmund Kallina concluded that any fraud was not large enough to change the outcome.8 Greenberg also wrote that some fraud clearly occurred in Cook County, where at least three people were jailed for election-related crimes.9 Nixon distanced himself from his party's challenges, though he later claimed in an autobiography that widespread fraud had occurred in Illinois and Texas.10
Byrd received electoral votes for President from Alabama (6), Mississippi (8) and Oklahoma (1).
Thurmond received electoral votes for Vice President from Alabama (6) and Mississippi (8).
Goldwater received 1 electoral vote for Vice President from Oklahoma.
John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated on November 22, 1963. He was succeeded by Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, who took the oath of office in Dallas, Texas that day.
National Archives, Electoral College results for 1960, archives.gov, read October 3, 2026. Quoted as published.
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Each numbered entry quotes the words that support that sentence, as they appear on the linked page.
- Back to sentence 1
a result that came under scrutiny when Kennedy won Illinois by less than 9,000 votes
millercenter.org/president/kennedy/campaigns-and-elections Idaho 4 - 4 - - 4 - - Illinois 27 27 - - 27
archives.gov/electoral-college/1960 - Back to sentence 2
In Chicago, Democratic mayor Richard Daley delivered an unusually good result for Kennedy
millercenter.org/president/kennedy/campaigns-and-elections - Back to sentence 3
In Illinois, there were rampant rumors that Chicago's Mayor Richard Daley used his political machine to stuff the ballot box in Cook County. Democrats charged the GOP with similar tactics in southern Illinois.
constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-drama-behind-president-kennedys-1960-election-win - Back to sentence 4
the Cook County state's attorney, Benjamin Adamowski, stepped forward to lead the challenge.
slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html The closeness of his defeat entitled him to a recount, which began Nov. 29.
slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html had lost his job to a Democrat by 25,000 votes.
slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html - Back to sentence 5
Completed Dec. 9, the recount of 863 precincts showed that the original tally had undercounted Nixon's (and Adamowski's) votes, but only by 943, far from the 4,500 needed to alter the results.
slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html - Back to sentence 6
Displeased, the Republicans took the case to federal court, only to have a judge dismiss the suits.
slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html the State Board of Elections, which was composed of four Republicans, including the governor, and one Democrat. Yet the state board, too, unanimously rejected the petition
slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html - Back to sentence 7
multiple election boards saw no reason to overturn the results. Neither did state or federal judges. Neither did an Illinois special prosecutor in 1961.
slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html - Back to sentence 8
both a 1961 study by three University of Chicago professors and more recent research by political scientist Edmund Kallina concluded that whatever fraud existed wasn't substantial enough to alter the election
slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html Another historian, Edmund Kallina, has conducted extensive research into a Chicago vote recount, and he concluded the discrepancies weren't wide enough to decide the election.
constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-drama-behind-president-kennedys-1960-election-win - Back to sentence 9
On the other hand, some fraud clearly occurred in Cook County. At least three people were sent to jail for election-related crimes
slate.com/news-and-politics/2000/10/was-nixon-robbed.html - Back to sentence 10
Nixon carefully distanced himself from the various legal challenges presented by his party and his supporters.
millercenter.org/president/kennedy/campaigns-and-elections In later years, Nixon also claimed in an autobiography that widespread fraud happened in Illinois and Texas during the 1960 election.
constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-drama-behind-president-kennedys-1960-election-win
Sources checked on October 3, 2026
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