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Voters across DeKalb County made their voices known in several referendums within the county’s more rural communities during the Tuesday Primary Election.
Here is a roundup of how the votes tallied, according to unofficial election results released by the DeKalb County Clerk & Recorder’s Office. Results won’t be certified for two weeks after the election, and outstanding mail-in ballots still need to be added to the final count. Ballots postmarked by Tuesday will be included.
Village of Kirkland sales tax referendum
In a near tie, 378 voters in Kirkland weighed in on whether the Village of Kirkland should authorize a 1% municipal sales tax levy to be used for municipal operations, public infrastructure and property tax relief.
No - 131 votes, or 34%
Yes - 125 votes, or 33%
Leland School District CUSD 1 and Somonauk CUSD District 432 referendum to combine districts
In Leland, 181 voters weighed in on whether to combine the Somonauk CUSD District 432 with the Leland school district. In Somonauk, 668 ballots were cast. The combined district would have its own elected at-large Board of Education, and levy a 4% tax for educational purposes, a 0.5% tax for operations and maintenance, and a 0.2% tax for transportation. The district would serve students in DeKalb and LaSalle counties.
Two referendums appeared for the same purpose on the DeKalb County voter ballots: One from the Leland school district, and the other from the Somonauk school district.
DeKalb County vote tally for Leland schools referendum:
Yes - 45 votes, or 24%
No - 18 votes, or 9%
DeKalb County vote tally for Somonauk schools referendum:
No - 336 votes, or 50%
Yes - 236 votes, or 35%
Hampshire Fire District referendum for levy increase of 0.10%, new fire station request
A total of 799 ballots were cast for the Hampshire Fire Protection District referendum in DeKalb and Kane counties. The referendum asked voters to decide whether the fire protection district should increase the amount it plans to levy by 0.10% which is above the existing limit for fire protection and ambulance services. The referendum would go for the 2020 levy year at a rate of 0.84675% of the assessed value of taxable property in 2022.
DeKalb County vote tally:
No - 48 votes, or 6%
Yes - 39 votes, or 4%
A second referendum asked voters in DeKalb and Kane Counties whether they’d approve issuing $4.5M worth of bonds to pay for a new fire station and emergency response vehicles and equipment.
DeKalb County vote tally:
Yes - 40 votes, or 5%
No - 15 votes, or 1%
Cortland Fire Protection District referendum on property tax increase
In Cortland, 1,060 ballots were cast by voters who weighed in on whether to approve a proposed property tax increase of 0.226% for the tax levy year 2022 to go toward fire protection and ambulance services.
Yes - 506 votes, or 47%
No - 225 votes, or 21%
Flewellin Memorial Library referendum for property tax levy
The Flewellin Memorial Library in Shabbona was the center of a referendum Tuesday where 306 ballots were cast. The referendum asked voters to weigh in on whether the library should be established as part of DeKalb County and levy no more than $90,000 for the 2022 tax levy year.
No - 151 votes, or 49%
Yes - 149 votes, or 48%