For the first time in 50 years a Republican will hold an executive office in the Macoupin County courthouse. Lilian Amber McGartland, Republican candidate for County Treasurer, toppled Democrat Roger Anderson’s bid to be elected to the office to which he was appointed following the retirement of long-serving treasurer Ann Boehm, also a Democrat.

McGartland captured 10,948 votes (62.12 percent) in Tuesday’s midterm, compared with Anderson’s 6,675 votes (37.88 percent). Anderson carried only three of the county’s 45 precincts—Shaw’s Point, and Carlinville 1 and 2—while McGartland substantially outdistanced her opponent in remaining precincts countywide, including former Democrat strongholds in the south half of the county. McGartland’s victory reflects a burgeoning Republican presence that has been growing over the past several years in the county.

When she is sworn into office, McGartland will be the first Republican to hold a county executive office since A.C. “Julie” Bartulis served as County Treasurer from 1967 to 1971.

In addition to McGartland, Macoupin voters favored Republican candidates for state and federal offices, and added more Republican members to the Macoupin County Board, which was flipped to a Republican majority after the 2020 Presidential election.

Incumbent Democrat Sheriff Shawn Kahl, however, bucked the trend and retained his office for a third term over Republican candidate Jared DePoppe. DePoppe, currently Gillespie’s Chief of Police, pulled 8,203 votes (46.02 percent) to Kahl’s 9,621 votes (53.98 percent).

Kahl said he appreciated the support he received for his re-election and pledged to continue protecting public safety.

“Our entire department will strive to keep getting better, keep working hard like we’ve been doing and do everything we can to keep the public safe,” Kahl said.

In a statement issued late Tuesday night on Facebook, DePoppe thanked his supporters and those who voted for him, and extended his congratulations to Kahl.

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“I want to thank all of my supporters and all of this who voted for me,” DePoppe said. “Your faith in me is truly humbling. The voters of Macoupin County have spoken and I respect their decision. We worked very hard, and it was a close race. Congratulations to Sheriff Kahl on his win.”

Neither McGartland nor Anderson had issued public statements as of mid-day Wednesday.

COUNTY BOARD

In three three-way races for County Board, voters favored Republicans to defeat one Democrat incumbent, flip a former Democrat seat to the GOP, and retain two Republican members over a Democrat challenger.

In District 4, voters retained Democrat Mark Dragovich with 918 votes (36.82 percent) but chose Republican Ross R. Adden over retired Gillespie school teacher Kellie Vesper, a Democrat, with 965 votes (38.71 percent) to 610 votes (24.47 percent).

In District 6, voters re-elected Aaron Stayton with 1,468 votes (47.51 percent) and elected Republican Leann Barr with 898 votes (29.06 percent), adding another County Board seat for Republicans. Democrat incumbent Robert Quarton failed in his bid for re-election, garnering 724 votes (23.43 percent).

In District 7, Republican incumbents Bernard C. Kiel and James Ibberson easily retained a strong Republican influence. Klausing captured 1,172 votes (55.62 percent), compared with Kilduff’s 925 votes (44.38 percent).

Voters cast 1,385 votes (55.14 percent) for incumbent Republican Jon C. Payne, and 1,327 (44.86 percent) for incumbent Republican Gordon Heuer, both running without opposition.

District 3 voters re-elected Republican incumbents Kristi Dunnagan and Matthew Accord with 1,315 votes (58.08 percent) and 949 votes (41.92 percent), respectively.

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In District 5, voters re-elected County Board Chair Larry Schmidt with 1,259 votes (57.05 percent). Republican John J. Blank was elected to the seat formerly held by Democrat Ruth Ann Pomatto (who did not run for re-election) with 948 votes (42.95 percent).

Incumbent Democrat Robert “Tony” Wiggins and incumbent Republican Harry Starr IV retained their seats without opposition in District 8 without opposition. Wiggins grand 879 votes (42.1 percent) and Starr landed 1,205 votes (57.82 percent).

In District 9, incumbent Republicans Todd Armour and Charles A. Siegel retained their seats without opposition. Armour landed 1,505 votes (56.66 percent), while Siegel scored 1,151 votes (43.34 percent).

With the results of Tuesday’s election, the political composition of the 18-member board shifts to 15 Republicans and three Democrats. Republicans established a 13-6 majority for the first time in about five decades two years ago.

WORKERS RIGHTS AMENDMENT

County voters narrowly voted against a workers rights amendment to the Illinois Constitution. A total of 8,401 votes (50.52 percent) were cast against the measure, which among other things would guarantee workers a right to collective bargaining). A total of 8,228 voters (49.48 percent), however, favored the amendment.

Those results are in sharp contrast to statewide results in which more than 2 million voters favored the amendment over 1.4 million opposing with 80 percent of the ballots reported.

Whether or not the amendment is added to the constitution, however, remained unclear as of Wednesday. The vote for constitutional amendments requires either 60 percent of votes cast on the ballot measure itself or a simple majority of all of those voting in the election.

Many Republicans opposed the amendment, claiming it would cause taxes to increase, give unions too much power and discourage businesses and industries from locating or staying in Illinois.

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STATEWIDE RACES

While Democrat candidates for statewide offices fared well in statewide balloting, Macoupin County results leaned heavily toward the Republican side of the ballot.

Democrat incumbent Gov. JB Pritzker, a pariah among downstate Republicans, handily won re-election with more than 2.1 million votes (54 percent), compared with Republican challenger Darren Bailey’s 1.7 million votes (43.2 percent). The Libertarian candidate, Scott Schluter captured 2.8 percent of the statewide vote.

As expected, Pritzker carried Cook County and the populous collar counties, but also carried Champaign and Peoria counties downstate.

Macoupin voters favored Bailey and running mate Stephanie Trussell nearly two-to-one over Pritzker and incumbent Lt. Gov. Julianna Stratton. County voters cast 11,986 votes (66.47 percent) for Bailey/Trussell, compared with 5,529 for Pritzker/Stratton.

Macoupin County voters also favored Republican Thomas DeVore, the Greenville attorney who sued Pritzker to end COVID-19 emergency executive orders, over incumbent Democrat Kwame Raoul by a similar margin. County voters cast 11,841 votes (66.44 percent) for DeVore, compared with 5,439 votes (30.62 percent) for Raoul.

Statewide, Raoul reportedly captured 54 percent of the vote compared with DeVore’s 43 percent to easily coast to re-election to a second term.

Macoupin voters also toed the partisan line in balloting for Secretary of State, State Treasurer and State Comptroller.  In the closely watched race to choose a successor to long-time Secretary of State Jesse White, county voters supported Republican Dan Brady with 11,772 votes (65.99 percent) to Democrat Alexi Giannoulias’ 5,563 votes (31.18 percent). In statewide balloting, however, Giannoulias easily captured election to a first term with 54 percent of the vote, compared with 44 percent for Brady.

County voters gave 11,080 votes (62.14 percent) to Republican challenger Shannon L. Trees, compared with 6,343 (35.57 percent) for Democrat incumbent Susana Mendoza. Statewide, however, Mendoza easily won a second term with nearly 57 percent of the vote, compared with Teresi’s 42 percent.

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Similarly, county voters supported Republican challenger Tom Demmer against incumbent Democrat Michael Frerich for State Treasurer. Demmer garnered 11,383 votes (64.05 percent) to Frerich’s 5,966 votes (33.57 percent).

In statewide balloting, however, Frerichs sailed to re-election with 54 percent of the vote to Demmer’s 44 percent.

Republican voters in Macoupin County also appeared eager to oust U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth, casting 10,972 votes (62.13 percent) for Republican challenger Kathy Salvi. Duckworth captured only 6,323 votes (35.8 percent). Statewide, however, Duckworth handily won re-election with 56 percent of the vote, compared with Salvi’s 43 percent.

VOTER TURNOUT

Nearly 58 percent of the county’s 31,162 voters turned out for the midterm election, which traditionally draws less voter interest than elections held during Presidential years. Voter turnout in 2020, for example, was 76 percent. For 2018, the last midterm election, voter turnout was 57.46 percent. In 2016, the Presidential election in which Donald Trump was elected, voter turnout in Macoupin County totaled 77.5 percent of registered voters.

Voter turnout exceeded 70 percent in five Macoupin precincts on Tuesday—Scottville, North Otter South Otter, Bird, and North Otter. The lowest voter turnout was in Staunton 2, where 48.09 percent of registered voters cast ballots.

The election results suggest limited cross-balloting with approximately two-thirds of ballots solidly cast for Republican candidates. A complete report of election results, including precinct breakdowns, can be viewed at macoupinvotes.com.

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