JERSEYVILLE - Unofficial results are in for the 2024 primary election in Jersey County with 100% of precincts reporting. This year’s election saw a contested race for the Republican Circuit Clerk nomination and a public question regarding a 0.5% sales tax increase for “public safety purposes.”
Mitchell P. "Mitch" Reynolds was chosen as the Republican nominee for Circuit Clerk, defeating incumbent Daniel P. Schetter. Reynolds received 62.63% of the vote, followed by Schetter at 17.89%. Two other challengers included Kathy Young with 14.28% of the vote and Paula Dahn with 5.20%.
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Reynolds will run unopposed in the general election this November, as no Democratic candidates ran for a Circuit Clerk nomination in this primary.
Jersey County voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed sales tax increase of 0.5% for “public safety purposes” with a vote of 71.28% against and 28.72% in favor. The question specifically appeared on the ballot as follows:
"To pay for public safety purposes, shall Jersey County, Illinois be authorized to impose an increase on its share of local sales taxes by 0.5%?”
Its failure means Jersey County shoppers will not have to pay an additional 50 cents in sales tax for every $100 of retail goods purchased. Jersey County Sheriff Nick Manns and members of the Jersey County Board previously claimed the funds would have gone towards improving public safety facilities including but not limited to the Jersey County Courthouse.
The only other contested races in Jersey County included nominations for County Board seats for two districts. Three candidates ran for each seat, and voters were asked to select up to two.
In District One, Jarrod Hayes and Kenneth A. Grizzle took the top two spots at 38.31% and 35.76% respectively, while Craig W. Bailey came in third with 25.93% of the vote.
For District Two, Republicans Benjamin J. Heitzig with 47.12% and Martin “Marty” Ward with 37.50% secured their party’s nomination for the County Board position. 15.38% of the vote went to Eric D. Hutchison, and no Democratic candidates ran in either district.
All other Republican candidates ran unopposed in this primary election. The lack of Democratic candidates means the only Republican who will face a Democratic challenger this November is Sarah Porter, who will face Democrat Gene Heafner for a spot on the Precinct Committee for Elsah 2.
Full Jersey County election results for the 2024 primary are available here.
These unofficial results do not include early votes or votes by mail.
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