Among registered voters, private sector taxpayers outnumber state and local public sector workers and pensioners nearly nine to one in the 70th Illinois House district, according to a Kane County Reporter analysis.
The 70th District covers parts of Kane, Kendall, DeKalb and Boone Counties in Chicago’s far northwestern suburbs, extending into greater Rockford. It is represented in Springfield by Republican Rep. Robert W. Pritchard (R-Hinckley).
As of the March 2016 primary election, there were 65,706 registered voters in the 70th District; 59,198 are private sector taxpayers and 6,508 state or local government employees or pensioners.
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.
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 46 percent for all voters. It was 62 percent for public employees and 78 percent for public pensioners.
In 2012, voter turnout was 61 percent, with 50 percent of public employees turning out, and 87 percent of public pensioners.
| Registered Voters: | 65,706 | |
| Government Employees | 4,168 | 6% |
| Government Pensioners | 2,340 | 4% |
| TOTAL: | 6,508 | 10% |
| 2014 Votes: | 30,368 | |
| Government Employees | 2,594 | 9% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,834 | 6% |
| TOTAL: | 4,428 | 15% |
| 2012 Votes: | 40,325 | |
| Government Employees | 3,147 | 8% |
| Government Pensioners | 2,036 | 5% |
| TOTAL: | 5,183 | 13% |
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