ROCKFORD (WIFR) -- Illinois voters shot down a constitutional amendment that would have made it tougher to expand retirement benefits of public employees.
The latest numbers show 56% of Illinoisans backed the measure, but that wasn't enough to make it law.
In order to amend the constitution, lawmakers needed support from 3/5 of those who voted, or they needed at least 50 percent of the total number of votes cast. About 5 million people cast their ballots in Illinois, but only 2.2 million supported the amendment.
