Among registered voters, private sector taxpayers outnumber state and local public sector workers and pensioners nearly 20 to one in the 20th Illinois House district, according to a Chicago analysis.
The 20th District covers parts of Chicago. It is represented in Springfield by Republican Rep. Michael P. McAuliffe (R-Chicago).
As of the March 2016 primary election, there were 67,395 registered voters in the 20th District; 64,482 are private sector taxpayers and 2,913 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 63 percent for public employees and 72 percent for public pensioners.
In 2012, voter turnout was 59 percent with 53 percent of public employees and 81 percent of public pensioners turning out.
The numbers- Illinois District 20
| Registered Voters: | 67,395 | |
| Government Employees | 2,073 | 3% |
| Government Pensioners | 840 | 1% |
| TOTAL: | 2,913 | 4% |
| | | |
| 2014 Votes: | 30,774 | |
| Government Employees | 1,299 | 4% |
| Government Pensioners | 608 | 2% |
| TOTAL: | 1,907 | 6% |
| | | |
| 2012 Votes: | 39,457 | |
| Government Employees | 1,493 | 3.5% |
| Government Pensioners | 677 | 2% |
| TOTAL: | 2,170 | 5.5% |
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