2 hours ago in Local Photo: Saga Communications
Leaders from thirteen community organizations, including the Faith Coalition for the Common Good, rallied outside the Sangamon County Complex to protest the sheriff’s department’s planned acquisition of an Army surplus armored vehicle (also called an M-RAP).
M-RAP stands for a “Mine-Resistant, Ambush Protected” vehicle.
Sheriff Jack Campbell says he’s aware of concerns over optics, but there are things this vehicle can do that others can’t. It’s for the protection of the community, indicated the Sheriff, not to intimidate it that’s behind the acquisition of an M-RAP.
Campbell plans to use seized assets funds from drug dealers and the like to pay for getting the M-RAP to Springfield, thereby leveraging past criminality to finance future policing.
Some Springfield aldermen are still determined to hold Mayor Jim Langfelder financially accountable and intend to bring back an ordinance next Tuesday that would lower the office of the mayor s spending power.
Although it was not addressed at Tuesday s Committee of the Whole, the full city council is set to address the ordinance, which would reduce what the mayor could authorize spending-wise without council approval from $50,000 to $10,000, at next week s full council meeting.
There is also consternation over Langfelder s approval of a $47,000 expense for a building used for the Springfield NAACP s Back to School/Stay in School program. Council members thwarted an ordinance for a higher amount even though the city s Economic & Community Development Commission approved the entire expenditure for improvements.
The slow pace of voting in Sangamon County s 180 precincts and 80 polling places Tuesday was expected to lead to low turnout in a consolidated election that will decide dozens of races for school boards, township boards and the Springfield Park Board.
Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray attributed the pace to a psychological letdown among voters following a general election in November and the nationwide controversy that ensued for months about the veracity of election results and recently included the much-debated Georgia election law. In Sangamon County, turnout in the November election reached almost 80% of the 148,000 registered voters.
Off-year elections, especially those without candidates for Springfield city or Sangamon County offices on the ballot, typically attract 10% to 15% of registered voters, Gray said.
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3 weeks ago in Local dlappen Photo: Saga Communications
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) – Early voting and vote by mail starts Thursday, February 25 for the April 6 Consolidated Election in Sangamon County.
“Starting today, registered voters of Sangamon County can officially cast a ballot for the April 6th Consolidated Election. Casting a ballot early is quick, easy and convenient,” said Sangamon County Clerk Don Gray. “As COVID-19 persists, we will continue Early Voting processing that adheres to IDPH COVID-19 guidance including; sanitizing and social distancing, plastic barriers, staff wearing masks and routinely sanitizing all surfaces with which early voters will come into contact. It is our priority to provide voters a safe, sanitized and healthy facility to cast ballots.”