Municipal election next Tuesday, April 1
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By BETH ZUMWALT
Residents across the state of Illinois will head to the polls next Tuesday to vote for township, municipal leaders and school boards.
Early voting started Feb. 20 and the Pike County Clerk’s office will offer extended voting hours Saturday, March 29 from 9 a.m. until noon. Otherwise early voting can be done at the clerk’s office from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Office 8:30 to 4:30 Saturday 9-12 election day polling place, 6 a to 7 p.m.
There can also be referendums on the ballot.
Pike County has one.
Residents in Pittsfield and Newburg Township will vote to expand the service of the Pittsfield Library to the citizens of Newburg who are not in the city limits. If the measure passes, those property owners affected would pay the same library tax as residents of the city pay.
“ We went to a library district last September,” Sarah Rudd, head librarian at the Pittsfield City Library. “Our goal is to be able to provide services to the Unit 10 School District.”
Rudd said the library annexation must pass in every township individually.
“That is why we started with just one,” she said. “Our attorney advised us to start small,and then expand the issue,trying to gather more support and the district has to be contiguous, meaning all borders have to touch.”
Prior to becoming a library district, the Pittsfield Library was for Pittsfield residents only. Those living outside the boundaries of the city of Pittsfield had to pay an annual fee to use the library services. With the formation of the district, those in the outlying areas will be able to use the library without paying for a card. The library will still issue cards to all qualified users because the card allows services at other libraries as well.
“I don’t think a lot of people realize the services we offer,” Rudd said. “A library card from out library is good at any library in the state. Any book checked out at another library, can be returned here. We offer discounts to those wanting to visit cultural places in the state, such as the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. You just have to go on-line and make a reservation. We also help people fax or e-mail documents, especially the elderly who may not understand what they are supposed to be sending or keeping. The library also offers books, periodicals and other reading materials for all ages.
“We recently became a member of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library,” Rudd said. “There is a cost for that service and we were lucky enough to find sponsors for our fees.”
Pike County has also had five candidates declare their desire to be write in candidates.
Illinois Law requires that a write-in vote must only be counted for candidates who have properly filed a Declaration of Intent to be a Write-in Candidate. Once a candidate has officially filed the declaration, voters must: find the appropriate unit of government darken the box to the left of the candidate’s name. Voters must blacken the box completely, and do not make any marks outside of the box, failure to do these steps will result in the write-in vote not being counted
