I was looking for something else recently on Scott Kennedy’s Illinois Election Data website and noticed he had voter turnout numbers from statewide races since 1990.  We all know that downstate has lost a significant amount of its political importance, but the numbers really help illustrate this decline.
 
In 1990, 42% of the total vote for governor came from downstate counties, while a mere 17% came from the suburban collar counties outside Cook.
 
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