Among registered voters, private sector taxpayers outnumber state and local public sector workers and pensioners nearly nine to one in the 49th Illinois House district, according to a Kane County Reporter analysis.
The 49th District covers parts of Cook, Dupage and Kane counties in Illinois, including Batavia, St Charles and West Chicago. It is represented in Springfield by Republican Rep. Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago).
As of the March 2016 primary election, there were 70,875 registered voters in the 49th District; 66,604 are private sector taxpayers and 4,271 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 43 percent for all voters. It was 62 percent for public employees and 73 percent for public pensioners.
In 2012, voter turnout was 58 percent. But 46 percent of public employees turned out, and 83 percent of public pensioners.
The numbers- Illinois District 49
| Registered Voters: | 70,875 | |
| Government Employees | 2,827 | 4% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,444 | 2% |
| TOTAL: | 4,271 | 6% |
| 2014 Votes: | 30,348 | |
| Government Employees | 1,752 | 4.5% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,061 | 3.5% |
| TOTAL: | 2,813 | 9% |
| 2012 Votes: | 40,826 | |
| Government Employees | 2,086 | 5% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,204 | 3% |
| TOTAL: | 3,290 | 8% |
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