Among registered voters, private sector taxpayers outnumber state and local public sector workers and pensioners nearly nine to one in the 112th Illinois House district, according to a Metro East Sun analysis.
The 112th District covers parts of Madison and St. Clair Counties in the Metro-East, including Edwardsville, Glen Carbon, Collinsville, Granite City, and Fairview Heights. It is represented in Springfield by Republican Rep. Dwight Kay (R-Glen Carbon).
As of the March 2016 primary election, there were 78,509 registered voters in the 112th District; 71,781 are private sector taxpayers and 6,728 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 41 percent for all voters. It was 64 percent for public employees and 75 percent for public pensioners.
In 2012, voter turnout was 59 percent with 52 percent of public employees and 86 percent of public pensioners turning out.
The numbers- Illinois District 112
| Registered Voters: | 79,763 | |
| Government Employees | 3,200 | 4% |
| Government Pensioners | 2,109 | 3% |
| TOTAL: | 5,309 | 7% |
| 2014 Votes: | 32,615 | |
| Government Employees | 2,051 | 6% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,592 | 5% |
| TOTAL: | 3,643 | 11% |
| 2012 Votes: | 47,290 | |
| Government Employees | 2,492 | 5% |
| Government Pensioners | 1,823 | 4% |
| TOTAL: | 4,315 | 9% |
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