BOND COUNTY INCUMBENTS FARE WELL
Three of the four incumbents on the ballot in Bond County were selected by the voters on Tuesday. County Treasurer Katie Weiss was voted to a four year term as she tallied 57% of the vote to Republican challenger Della Field’s 42%. There will be a new face on the Bond County Board. Democrat Gerald “Spanky” McCray defeated the incumbent Dorine “Dodie” Price for the District 3 seat. Democrat Frank Lucco had 66% of the vote to defeat Republican Justin Lurkins in County Board District 1. Jill Franks, currently the board chair, was re-elected in District 4 by 48 votes over Republican Brock Willeford.
DEMOCRATS CONTROL STATEWIDE OFFICES
Voters have selected Democrats for the entire slate of Illinois’ top offices. Governor Rod Blagojevich defeated Republican challenger Judy Baar Topinka. Other Democrats winning re-election were Lieutenant Governor Pat Quinn, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, Secretary of State Jesse White, and Comptroller Daniel Hynes. Democrat Alexander Giannoulias was a winner over Republican Christine Radogno for the treasurer’s job formerly held by Judy Baar Topinka.
Republican John Shimkus is returning to Washington for another term as the US House member from the 19th Congressional District. Shimkus picked up 60% of the vote over challenger Danny Stover. Shimkus has been in Congress since 1997.
John O. Jones, the Republican Illinois Senator from the 54th District, won re-election over challenger Bart Wright.
THREE JUDICIAL ELECTION RESULTS
Voters in Bond and Madison counties chose to retain 3rd Judicial Circuit Judges John Knight, Charles Romani, and Ann Callis on Tuesday. Knight is Bond County’s presiding judge; Romani is the Chief Judge of the Criminal Division; and Callis is the circuit’s Chief Judge.
Also elected was Democrat Barbara L. Crowder to fill the vacancy of George Moran on the 3rd Judicial Circuit who announced his retirement in 2005. Crowder beat out Republican James Hackett.
The other judicial race, The Fifth District Appellate Court in Mt. Vernon, which covers Bond and 36 other downstate counties, elected Democrat Bruce Stewart, currently the Presiding Judge of Saline County, over Republican incumbent Steven McGlynn of Belleville
LONGWALL MINING REFERENDUM TOTALS
Montgomery County voters have said “no” to a non-binding referendum concerning longwall mining. Two companies, Hillsboro Energy and the Drummond Company, have proposed using longwall mining in Montgomery County. The question on Tuesday’s ballot asked, “Shall the longwall method of mining coal be prohibited in Montgomery County?” Voters cast 5,811 “no” votes and 5,035 “yes” votes for a difference of 776.
MADISON COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS
There were a couple races that affected Highland area residents in the Madison County Election Tuesday. Democratic incumbent Fred Bathon was re-elected as Madison County Treasurer and in the race for District 4's County Board seat, Democratic incumbent, Robert A Daiber maintained his seat by 866 votes over Republican challenger Gene Rincker.
CLINTON COUNTY ELECTION RESULTS
Voters in Clinton County had several choices Tuesday including filling seven seats on the County Board. In District 1, voters chose Democratic incumbent Brian Hitpas and Democrat Craig Roper. For District 2 Republican candidate Jack Taylor retained his seat. In that same district, Democrat Steven J. Heiligenstein won an unexpired 2-year term. For Clinton County Board District 3 Republican incumbent Lavern G. Holtgrave was re-elected. And in District 4, with two seats open, Republican incumbent James Howard Sullivan was re-elected along with Republican Allan R. Huelsmann.
In the four propositions on the Clinton County ballot, the property tax for social services for senior citizens not to exceed .25 percent passed along with the $1.25 million in bonds to be issued to the Aviston School District. However, the third proposition to issue $2.1 million in bonds to the Germantown School District did not pass. The proposal to increase the maximum Annual Education Tax Rate to 1.17 percent for the Germantown District was also turned down.
FAYETTE COUNTY VOTERS ELECTED A NEW SHERIFF
Fayette County voters elected a new Sheriff on Tuesday, Republican Aaron L. Lay. He will replace Harold Johnson who decided not to run after two terms as Sheriff.
The challengers were winners in two of the Fayette County Board races, Republican Greg Fulk won the District 6 seat, which covers the Brownstown area and Republican Blaine J. (B.J.) Wilhour won the District 7 seat.
