Rantoul organization calls on community to say ‘no’ to proposed voting changes

RANTOUL, Ill. (WCIA) -- In Rantoul, one community group is speaking out against a referendum on the November ballot that could change how elected officials get voted in.

Villagers currently vote for trustees by district. The referendum would allow the community to vote at large for the board of trustees.

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The Friends of Rantoul Residents for Representation group is advocating against that. They say that based on how voting works now, the representatives live near you, inside the district lines. They also said that for more than 14 years, 92% of the trustees lived in the north half of the village, leaving only 8% of them living in the second half. But when it was shifted to districts, like it is now, it was a 50-50 split in the village.

It's something Jack Anderson said is the most fair way to move forward.

"It's about fair and equal representation," Anderson said. "It's not about how you govern the village, just about how you elect, you know, a representative. It's about having access to your trustees -- trustees who understand your neighborhood -- because they're from your neighborhood, and they can take your concerns to the dais to make decisions about policy and the direction of the village."

The group will continue pushing the same message throughout the week, holding signs in the streets of Rantoul and encouraging everyone to get out and vote.

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