Oswego Primary - School District Referendum, Congressional Races

OSWEGO, IL — There are several primary races besides the presidential one that Oswego voters can cast ballots for on Tuesday. Those living within the bounds Oswego School District 308 - which overlaps Will, Kendall, and Kane Counties - will also vote on whether to raise the operating tax rate of the district.

Voters in the school district will see the following on their ballots:

• Shall the limiting rate under the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law for Oswego Community Unit School District Number 308, Kendall, Kane and Will Counties, Illinois, be increased by an additional amount equal to .30% above the limiting rate for school purposes for levy year 2018 and be equal to 5.32922% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property therein for levy year 2020?

Voting 'yes' on this referendum means that the property tax rate in the district would be raised by 30 cents per $100, a .3% increase. Should it pass, school district officials have said that they will be able to use the additional funds to perform maintenance on school facilities and hire staff to reduce class sizes.

Should it fail, as it did the last time it was proposed, those same officials have warned that some athletic programs in the district may need to be altered, while other programs may be cut entirely.

Besides the referendum, voters residing in or near Oswego will face a crowded field of candidates running for the either the 11th or 14th Illinois seats in Congress, depending on their exact address. Here are those candidates:

11th District Candidates

• Bill Foster - Incumbent (D-Aurora)
• Rachel Ventura (Democrat)
• Krishna Bansal (Republican)
• Rick Laib (Republican)

14th District Candidates

• Lauren Underwood - Incumbent (D-West Chicago)
• Anthony Catella (Republican)
• Jerry Evans (Republican)
• Ted Gradel (Republican)
• Catalina Lauf (Republican)
• James Marter (Republican)
• Jim Oberweis (Republican)
• Sue Rezin (Republican)

Voters in Kendall County should check their polling place, as there are numerous poll precincts throughout the county. You can see the full list of polling places here. Due to coronavirus concerns, voters are encouraged to wash their hands often, to cover their coughs and sneezes with a tissue or the inside of their elbows, to keep as much distance between themselves and other voters as possible, and to wear a face mask if they are feeling ill.