Among registered voters, private sector taxpayers outnumber state and local public sector workers and pensioners nearly 20 to one in the 66th Illinois House district, according to a Kane County Reporter analysis.
The 66th District covers parts of Kane and McHenry counties in Illinois, including Crystal Lake and Lake In The Hills. It is represented in Springfield by Republican Rep. Michael Tryon (R-Crystal Lake).
As of the March 2016 primary election, there were 72,330 registered voters in the 66th District; 67,937 are private sector taxpayers and 4,393 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 40 percent for all voters. It was 56 percent for public employees and 73 percent for public pensioners.
In 2012, voter turnout was 56 percent. But 46 percent of public employees turned out, and 83 percent of public pensioners.
The numbers- Illinois District 66
| Registered Voters: | 72,330 | |
| Government Employees | 3,172 | 4% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,221 | 2% |
| TOTAL: | 4,393 | 6% |
| 2014 Votes: | 28,977 | |
| Government Employees | 1,776 | 5% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,221 | 4% |
| TOTAL: | 2,665 | 9% |
| 2012 Votes: | 40,446 | |
| Government Employees | 2,291 | 6.5% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,008 | 2.5% |
| TOTAL: | 3,299 | 8% |
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