Updated 10:02 p.m.: With all 61 precincts reporting, the Evanston/Skokie School District 65 new school referendum has been defeated by a 55 to 45 percent margin.
The referendum trailed by approximately that margin throughout this evening’s vote counting. The final unofficial tally stands at 8,020 votes against to 6,619 votes for the referendum, which would have constructed a new school in Evanston’s 5th Ward and funded additions to several existing schools.
With all 53 precincts reporting, the electricity referendum has won easily by a 73 to 27 percent margin.
And the referendum on dissolving Evanston township has won by a 67 to 33 percent margin.
Because the school district includes a portion of Skokie there are more precincts to tally for that referendum than for the other issues.
At the Hop Haus in Rogers Park, Lionel Jean-Baptiste celebrated his victory in the judicial race, flanked by County Commisisoner Larry Suffedin and State Rep Robyn Gabel.(Genie Lemieux-Jordan photo.)
In races for the 9th judicial subcircuit, former Evanston alderman Lionel Jean-Baptiste has defeated Michael Ian Bender. Jean-Baptiste had 60 percent of the vote with 264 of 268 city and suburban precincts reporting.
And Larry G. Axelrood is leading three other candidates for another vacancy on the court. Axelrood had 36 percent of the vote to 33 percent for his closest challenger, Abbey Fishman Romanek. Romanek’s narrow lead in city precincts was outweighed by Axelrood’s advantage in the suburbs.
In the Democratic primary race for the 9th District U.S. House seat, incumbent Jan Schakowsky easily defeated challenger Simon Ribiero. Schakowsky had 92 percent of the vote with 548 of 560 city and suburban precincts counted.
Update 7:07 a.m. Wednesday:
Voter turnout appeared to be low in Evanston, compared with recent primary elections. The electricty referendum drew 12,513 votes and the township referendum just a few less. (A report on total ballots cast is expected to be available later today.)
By comparision, 14,692 votes were cast here in the 2010 gubernatorial primary and 23,638 in the 2008 presidential primary.
The absence of a presidential contest on the Democratic party ticket presumably depressed turnout this year in Evanston, where 90 percent of voters had chosen a Democratic ballot in 2008.