Tomorrow is Election Day

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Published on April 3 2017 8:10 am
Last Updated on April 3 2017 8:19 am
Written by Greg Sapp

For an "off-year" election, there is plenty to be decided tomorrow.

Polls in Illinois will be open from 6am to 7pm. We will have returns live tomorrow night on 979XFM and on the website. Zak has the ballot up on the front page of the website, you can also download the ballot here.

Several municipalities have offices to be filled. Effingham and Altamont are in the middle of their council terms, but all of the other communities in Effingham County have offices to fill.

The 15 townships in Effingham County will also be filling their offices tomorrow, and there are some contests.

School board seats will be filled in tomorrow's balloting. In Effingham Unit 40, there are three candidates for three seats. None of the incumbents...Chris Koester, Brian Wick and Steve Bone...are seeking re-election. The three candidates for the three seats are Patty Russell, Angela Byers and Kathleen Smith.

Park Board seats are also to be filled tomorrow. In the Effingham Park District, Russ Sehy is a candidate for re-election, while Jason Semple is seeking to fill the seat now held by David McDevitt, who is not seeking another term after more than 20 years on the Board.

The Shumway Fire Protection District is seeking to fill two trustee seats. There are three candidates...Steve Gillum, Tracy Sutter and David Soltwedel.

The two items on the ballot that have drawn the most interest are the tax questions. One seeks to increase the Effingham County Board's local sales tax by 1/4 percent for up to four years. County board members have indicated they'd like to build a reserve of funds.

The other sales tax question is the 1% increase being proposed to assist with school facilities. The Effingham and Teutopolis school districts are looking at construction projects, while other districts in the county are looking at reducing property tax rates should the sales tax increase gain approval. Effingham Unit 40 is looking at a new facility or a renovation of the junior high building to accommodate some of the middle grade students, while Teutopolis Unit 50 is considering replacing a portion of the high school building.

We will have the returns as soon as they're available tomorrow night on line and on 979XFM.