Clerk expects high turnout for Nov. 6 election
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Ogle County Clerk Rebecca Huntley said Tuesday that she expects a high percentage of registered voters in the county to turn out for next week's Presidential election.
"I expect a great turnout," she said. "We had 65 percent in 2008 for the Presidential election so I'm expecting that this year, too."
Besides electing a President, a U.S. Congressman, and state legislators, the Nov. 6 general election ballot will include county-wide races and a variety of referendums.
Early voting is usually an indicator of how the turnout will be, and Huntley said, so far 1,500 people have come in to cast their ballots, either as absentee or early voters.
That number is down from the 3,000 early and absentee votes cast four years ago. However, early and absentee ballots can be cast until 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 5.
Redistricting last year means the county is divided into eight county board districts instead of the previous four.
The only contested race is in District 5, which includes Rockvale, Marion, and Leaf River townships.
Three Republicans Martin Typer, Stillman Valley, Donald E. Griffin Jr., Oregon, Richard Daniel Janes, Stillman Valley, and Democrat Willem Dijstelbergen, Leaf River, are running for the three seats on the board.
Candidates in the other seven county board districts are running unopposed.
Ogle County State's Attorney John B. Roe, Rochelle, and Coroner Louis Finch IV, Mt. Morris, are unopposed in the their bids for re-election. Both are Republicans.
Kim Stahl, Oregon, also a Republican, is running unopposed for her first term as circuit clerk.
Voters in Oregon will have the chance to approve a 1 percent non-home rule municipal service occupation tax and non-home rule municipal use tax for expenditures on public infrastructure or property tax relief.
The Oregon City Council voted 4-1 Aug. 14 to to ask voters if they wanted to add a 1 percent citywide sales tax on some retail goods to help pay for future infrastructure projects.
Finance Commissioner Ken Williams has said a 1 percent sales tax would bring in an estimated $240,000 in revenue per year for the city and could help pay for $15.8 million for projects outlined in the city’s Capital Improvement Plan.
In Mt. Morris voters will decide if video gaming will be permitted within the municipality.
Numerous voters will have a say on electrical aggregation.
Voters in Eagle Point, Forreston, Flagg, Leaf River, Maryland, Pine Creek, Rockvale, Pine Rock, and Mt. Morris Townships and the Village of Leaf River will have a referendum on the ballot asking if the township or village board can negotiate an electric rate for the residents.
A county-wide electrical aggregation referendum failed in the spring.
Rock River Energy Services is the energy consultant for all the municipalities seeking approval of the referendum.
According to a press release provided by Rock River Energy Services., The Ogle County townships will be among the first in Illinois to develop electrical aggregation programs, as the law was changed this summer to allow townships to aggregate their loads.
Rural residents who do not live inside a corporate village or city limits may now participate in a program that will use their combined purchasing power to negotiate a lower electrical rate over ComEd.
Anyone who does not want to participate in the program will be able to opt out of the process.
Additional townships or municipalities may complete an ordinance to have electrical aggregation on the spring ballot.
The polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, and a specimen ballot is available on the county clerk's website.
