Election 2024: How Harris and Trump fared in downstate Illinois. Here's how we voted.
Former President Donald Trump won Tuesday's election for president with 72.8 million votes to Vice President Kamala Harris' 68 million votes, according to unofficial results.
Trump did better in more rural areas of Illinois and Harris fared better in urban areas.
In Rockford where there was strong support for Harris, turnout was low compared to the rest of Winnebago County where Trump dominated.
But Illinois might tell the tale of the election: Trump did about the same as he did four years ago, getting 2.4 million votes. Harris, however, got 2.8 million votes, far fewer than the 3.5 million votes for President Joe Biden in 2020.
The far right flexed its muscle when it came to getting its message out, and too many Democrats stayed home, said Charlie Laskonis, chairman of the Winnebago County Democratic Central Committee.
“Kamala got millions less votes because the people who voted for Biden and traditional Democrats just didn’t come out in any large numbers,” said Laskonis said. “It just boggles my mind.”
Here's a look at how residents across downstate Illinois voted according to unofficial election results.
Rockford, population 146,120
Donald Trump: 19,297 — 38%
Kamala Harris: 29,825 — 59%
Other: 1,170 — 2%
Winnebago County, population 280,922*
Trump: 38,979 — 57%
Harris: 28,086 — 41%
Other: 1,487 — 2%
*population figure includes Rockford. Results county only.
Peoria County, population 177,513
Trump: 36,383 — 47%
Harris: 39,772 — 51%
Other: 1,621 — 2%
Sangamon County, population 193,491
Trump: 50,767 — 52%
Harris: 45,853 — 47%
Other: 1,782 — 2%
Galesburg, population 29,130
Trump: 4,988 — 44%
Harris: 6,118 — 54%
Other: 283 — 3%
Knox County, population 48,411*
Trump: 6,816 — 64.5%
Harris: 3512 — 33.3%
Other: 235 — 2.2%
*population figure includes Galesburg. Results county only.
Stephenson County, population 43,105
Trump: 12,328 — 59%
Harris: 8,257 — 40%
Other: 340 — 2%
Livingston County, population 35,320
Trump: 11,926 — 73%
Harris: 4,269 — 26%
Other: 253 — 2%
Jeff Kolkey writes about government, economic development and other issues for the Rockford Register Star. He can be reached at (815) 987-1374, via email at jkolkey@rrstar.com and on X @jeffkolkey.
This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: From Rockford to Peoria to Springfield: How we voted for president
