Macoupin County Clerk Pete Duncan announced on Apr. 16 the launch of “Macoupin County Election University,” a new video series aimed at helping residents understand how elections are conducted in the county.
The initiative seeks to provide transparency and increase public knowledge about the procedures and safeguards involved in administering elections. The videos will be available on the Macoupin County Clerk’s website and social media platforms, covering topics such as voter registration, ballot access for candidates, polling place operations, vote counting, and result verification.
“Most voters only see elections on Election Day, but there are months of preparation that happen behind the scenes before a single ballot is cast,” Duncan said. “Election University is designed to give the public a closer look at how elections work in Macoupin County and help answer some of the most common questions we receive.”
Each episode will last between five and ten minutes. Future topics include poll worker roles, voting equipment testing, vote-by-mail procedures, and post-election audits. “Our goal is to make election information accessible and easy to understand,” Duncan said. “When people understand the process, it builds confidence in the system and encourages greater civic participation.”
The first episode introduces viewers to local election administration practices. Residents can watch episodes on Facebook, YouTube, or at MacoupinVotes.gov.
In addition to this new educational effort around elections, recent data shows that Macoupin County schools had an average student-to-teacher ratio of 13-to-1 during the 2022-23 school year with 7,361 students enrolled across county schools staffed by 555 full-time faculty members according to state education data. Teacher absenteeism was recorded at 33.3%, slightly below Illinois’ average of 35.6% as reported by state sources. Among local schools in that period: Ben-Gil Elementary School had the highest enrollment of white students with 532; Carlinville Primary School had the highest number of multiracial students with 27; Staunton High School recorded a peak Hispanic enrollment with 14 students according to state statistics. Overall, white students made up about 94% of all county school enrollments during that time frame state records show.
For more information about voting or upcoming episodes in “Election University,” residents are encouraged to visit the Macoupin County Clerk’s Office website or contact their office directly.
