DeKALB | With no stinging campaign commercials or party loyalties affecting voter decisions, constituents had to rely on personal research when voting on various referendums Tuesday.

Voters gave their views on the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, a public safety tax and whether the DeKalb City Clerk should be appointed.

DeKalb Township Proposition on Troop Withdrawal

DeKalb citizens voted with a 58 percent majority that the U.S. government should immediately begin withdrawal of military personnel from Iraq.

Several voters said they were happy the question was on the ballot although its effectiveness was debated.

“I don’t think it will do anything, but I hope it will reflect this community’s opinion that we should pull out,” said Anthony Ruffino, a senior business German translation major.

One constituent spoke of the effect on citizens’ families.

“I hope they take the people’s opinions,” said sophomore journalism major Angelica Sanchez. “It should count. Those are peoples’ brothers, sisters, husbands and wives over there.”

The proposition only accounts for DeKalb citizens and does not officially change anything.

“I suppose it depends on the rest of the country,” said Democratic supporter Walt Wagener. “If it’s only DeKalb it’s one thing. If it’s part of a national movement, it is significant.”

Sycamore Township Decision on National Guard Deployment

Sycamore citizens voted that the Governor of Illinois should not be directed from further sending Illinois National Guard troops to the Iraq or Afghanistan Wars.

“I think it’s good to see the actual opinion of the public, and see how they feel instead of [the politicians] telling us how to feel,” said Brian Cronin, junior environmental geo-Sciences major.

The Sycamore proposition was defeated by a 53 percent majority. The party affiliation of the towns may explain the alternate outcomes.

“Sycamore might be a little more Republican than DeKalb,” said Democratic supporter Eileen Silver. “[Sycamore is] the only place Dennis Hastert went in the last month.”

Proposition to have DeKalb city clerk appointed

The city clerk of DeKalb has always been elected by its constituents and yesterday’s ballot proposed that the position be appointed by the mayor. The proposition was turned down by a 63 percent majority yesterday.

“I find it too bad that it was so confusing for the voters,” said 6th Ward Alderman Dave Baker. “There’s no reason for it to be elected and unfortunately there was no good education or clarification before the vote.”

In televised and saved visual recordings, Baker said the position’s election is unnecessary. He also said with the position being elected, the taxpayers don’t have as much control over the department and could actually save money with it being appointed.

“We could save $100,000 a year if it was appointed instead of elected,” Baker said.

Proposition to establish a public safety sales tax

Although Roger A. Scott was re-elected as DeKalb County Sheriff by over 98 percent, he displeased that the proposition to implement a half-cent sales tax was overturned by a 57 percent majority.

Scott has been lobbying for the tax by distributing “The Jail Fact of the Week,” attempting to educate the public on the need for additional funding.

The proposition, which lost by fewer than 800 votes on a previous ballot, saw larger sentiments against it as the approval deficit more than quadrupled.

The decision will leave the county jail with a growing problem of prisoner overflow and no other proposed solution in sight.

Scott declined to comment late Tuesday.

Jake Campbell is a City Reporter for the Northern Star.