Lemont Home Rule Fails

LEMONT, IL — Lemont voters have said "no" to becoming a home rule municipality. Over 3,00o voters said no to the proposition while 2,665 wanted the village to become home rule. The village board voted in August to put the referendum on the ballot.

Right now, Lemont is a non-home rule municipality, which means that the village can only authorize those powers which are expressly granted by the State of Illinois. Pursuant to the Illinois Constitution, the village said home rule municipalities may exercise any power and function pertaining to its government and affairs. Home rule status can only be achieved through voter approval or the certification of a population above 25,000 residents.

The question that will appear on the ballot is:

"Shall the Village of Lemont become a home rule unit of government pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 of the Constitution of the State of Illinois?"

Election Results

With 16 of 16 precincts reporting:

• Yes - 2,665
• No - 3,648

Return to Patch tonight for the latest vote tally. Subscribe to free News Alerts for election results. The polls open at 6 a.m. Tuesday and close at 7 p.m. NOTE: Tuesday's results are unofficial and do not include provisional and late absentee ballots.

According to board documents, the village board has discussed the financial benefits of home rule status, including a local sales tax increase. Home rule status could also improve the bond ratings for the village and allow the village to incur debt beyond 20 years.

Lemont Mayor John Egofske shared a letter with residents on why he will be voting for home rule. In his letter, he states that there is a $1.2 million shortfall in this year's budget.

"In order to balance our budget, we had to eliminate $1.2M in much needed road and water repair maintenance," he wrote. "Obviously, this budget balancing decision is not healthy or in the best interests of our town for the long-term."

The budget deficit is due to decreasing revenues and increasing expenses that are largely the result of the state and county governments, according to Egofske.

He said in his letter that the home rule option will consist of a one percent increase in sales tax, trucking and use fee charges and the elimination of the vehicle sticker fees will results in the lowest financial impact for residents.

"This home rule referendum has created productive feedback that is useful and appreciated by the board," Egofske wrote in his letter. "It is by no means the intention of the board for this referendum to take away any rights or cause divide within the community."

Know your voting rights

If you're already registered to vote, you do not need to show your ID in order to cast your ballot — you only need to state your name and address. However, there are limited circumstances in which a voter can be asked for identification, including those who are registering on Election Day, and those voting for the first time after registering by mail. But even in those instances, a voter without ID may cast a provisional ballot, according to the ACLU of Illinois.

People with criminal records in Illinois — including felonies — are eligible to vote once they have completed their sentences (but should re-register to vote upon their release). That includes people who are on probation or parole. Those who have been arrested or charged with a crime but not convicted can also vote, including many of those being held in county jail.

More Illinois voting info: Everything To Know About The Illinois 2018 Midterm Elections