Among registered voters, private sector taxpayers outnumber state and local public sector workers and pensioners nearly nine to one in the 93rd Illinois House district, according to a West Central Reporter analysis.
The 93rd District covers parts of McDonough, Brown, Schuyler, Cass, Fulton, Mason, and Knox counties in Western Illinois, including Macomb, Canton, Lewistown, Havana and southern Galesburg. It is represented in Springfield by Republican state Rep. Norine Hammond (R- Macomb).
As of the March 2016 primary election, there were 68,529 registered voters in the 93rd District, of which 60,358 are private sector taxpayers and 8,171 are state or local government employees or public pensioners, or 12 percent.
The analysis comes amidst a raging debate over rising state and local government payroll spending and massive public pension debts, incurred unbeknownst to many local elected officials and taxpayers.
The study matched 20 different state and local employee and pensioner databases against the state of Illinois voter registration file. They include the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund (IMRF), Teachers Retirement Fund (TRS), State Employees Retirement System (SERS) and State Universities Retirement Fund (SURS).
While they represent a small percentage of the overall vote, state and local government employees and pensioners do vote at higher rate than the average voter.
According to the analysis, voter turnout in 2014 was 44 percent for all voters. It was 66 percent for public employees and 78 percent for public pensioners.
In 2012, voter turnout was 56 percent. But 76 percent of public employees turned out, and 86 percent of public pensioners.
The numbers- Illinois District 93
| Registered Voters: | 68,529 | |
| Government Employees | 5,243 | 8% |
| Government Pensioners | 2,928 | 4% |
| TOTAL: | 8,171 | 12% |
| 2014 votes: | 30,466 | 44% |
| Government Employees | 3,461 | 5% |
| Government Pensioners | 2,271 | 3% |
| TOTAL: | 5,732 | 8% |
| 2012 Votes: | 38,154 | 56% |
| Government Employees | 3,960 | 6% |
| Government Pensioners | 2,544 | 4% |
| TOTAL: | 6,504 | 10% |
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