Two local races of note:

1. Sales tax increase for public safety failed 66 to 44%. “The money would have gone toward hiring mental health professionals for the sheriff’s department and three more attorneys in the public defender’s office” according to WCIA, but State Representative Carol Ammons (D-Urbana) came out against it, saying she doesn’t believe in taxing poor and working class people on services that may or may not benefit them. Her side appears to have won.

2. Incumbent Champaign County Auditor George Danos beat off challenger Alan Anderson 54 to 46% and a referendum to make the position appointed rather than elected 60 to 40%. Danos was late to submit audits of county finances to the state three times in the past (one was late by a year) according to Champaign County Executive Steve Summers (IPM Newsroom). Danos says that there were no repercussions for being late, and the vitriol from the County Executive is because “for the first time you’ve got a serious auditor with credentials and moxie. I’ve stood up to the Board that is dominated by my own party and they resent it.” After the election, Danos said, “I was gratified to enjoy the loyalty of rank-and-file Democrats, who also agreed with me on the referenda.” (News-Gazette).