With the Elgin Courier-News promoting the referendum with this front page endorsement Sunday, it is a wonder that the $178 million bond referendum isn’t passing by more.
But there is that pesky recession, isn’t there?
It must be hitting harder in the McHenry County part of District 509, which is the same as District 300, because 59% of local residents voted it down.
Including slightly incomplete Cook and complete Kane and McHenry County results, however, the “Yes” votes outnumber those voting “No” by about 750 votes.
As with any story written before the absentee and early ballots are included, the results in this story will differ from the final ones.
The measure is doing best in Cook County, gaining 54% approval.
The vote is 3,272 to 2,750 with three precincts still not reporting.
In Kane County, 51% appear to have voted in favor, although, for some unknown reason, County Clerk Jack Cunningham’s web site shows the favorable percentage at 48.59%. How can 13,354 to 12,753 end up with 47.56% voting “Yes?”
In Cook County, the almost complete figures were 3,272 to 2,750.
In McHenry County the opposition was highest.
1,162 to 798.
That’s rejection by over 59% of the voters.
Add up all the votes on the web site and the totals are
- Voting Yes – 17,424
- Voting No – 16,675
If you click on the ad to enlarge it, you will see prominent tax fighter Jack Roeser as one of those who endorsed the referendum.
The numbers are calculated out of ballots cast, not total votes, in order to properly account for undervotes, rejected overvotes, etc.
At the top of the screen, you’ll see 27,483 votes cast. Dividing 13,354 into that gives 48.59%, which is what they show.
I find it more interesting that there were apparently 1,376 ballots where no vote was cast – fully 4% of the population missed the question?