Among registered voters, private sector taxpayers outnumber state and local public sector workers and pensioners 20 to one in the 82nd Illinois House district, according to a West Cook News analysis.
The 82nd District covers parts of Cook, Dupage and Will counties in Illinois, including Darien, Homer Glen, Lemont and Willowbrook. It is represented in Springfield by Republican Rep. Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs).
As of the March 2016 primary election, there were 79,217 registered voters in the 82nd District; 75,082 are private sector taxpayers and 4,135 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 50 percent for all voters. It was 65 percent for public employees and 79 percent for public pensioners.
In 2012, voter turnout was 63 percent. But 47 percent of public employees turned out, and 87 percent of public pensioners.
The numbers- Illinois District 82
| Registered Voters: | 79,217 | |
| Government Employees | 2,355 | 3% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,780 | 2% |
| TOTAL: | 4,135 | 5% |
| 2014 Votes: | 39,418 | |
| Government Employees | 1,527 | 4% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,415 | 3.5% |
| TOTAL: | 2,942 | 7.5% |
| 2012 Votes: | 49,877 | |
| Government Employees | 1,778 | 3.5% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,552 | 3% |
| TOTAL: | 3,330 | 6.5% |
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