Peoria County voters elected to reduce and consolidate the overall scope of local government.
Voters approved eliminating the Peoria County Recorder of Deeds office. The office will be folded into the Peoria County Clerk’s office at the end of 2016, when current Recorder Nancy Horton’s term expires.
But while the clerk’s office takes on more responsibilities for recording property transactions, it is also relinquishing its elections obligations.
Voters also approved consolidating the city and county election authorities into one countywide election commission. By mid-December the three-person City Election Commission must ask the 10th Circuit Chief Judge for two new county appointees. The appointees will officially form a countywide election commission.
That body will be responsible for deciding the particulars of transitioning the county elections operations into the city election: hiring a staff and if they choose, moving the office to a more central community location.
It’s still unclear if that will happen before or after the Spring municipal elections. However the city and county already have the same voting machines and those close to the matter say it’s highly likely voters won’t recognize a difference.
While Peoria County voters approved both ballot referendums, a majority of Peoria Heights voters said they did not want a property tax increase to support the community’s ambulance service. The ballot question failed with 58-percent voting against it and 42-percent supporting.