Even More Illinois Counties To Vote On Separating From Chicago

For now, Illinois still has 102 counties. But if a growing movement across the state ever gets its way, that number could look very different.

A campaign to create a new state separate from the Chicago area continues to gain traction, with seven more Illinois counties expected to ask voters this November whether they want local officials to explore breaking away from Cook County and forming a brand-new state.

If those measures pass, they would join 33 Illinois counties that have already approved similar advisory referendums between 2020 and 2024. Every county that has voted on the question so far has approved it, often by comfortable margins.

yacht on body of water near buildings

Seven More Illinois Counties Are Joining The List And Are Voting In November

The 33 counties who've already voted for separation are:

Bond, Brown, Calhoun, Christian, Clark, Clay, Clinton, Crawford, Cumberland, Edgar, Edwards, Effingham, Fayette, Greene, Hancock, Hardin, Iroquois, Jasper, Jefferson, Jersey, Johnson, Lawrence, Madison, Marion, Massac, Moultrie, Perry, Pope, Richland, Shelby, Wabash, Wayne and White.

Of those 33 counties, Madison County is by far the largest population center to approve the measure, while several others border Missouri, Indiana or Kentucky, underscoring how the movement has been concentrated in central and southern Illinois.

Among the counties expected to vote this November are Henderson, Coles, Macoupin, Monroe, Hamilton, Saline and Gallatin.

Even if every one of those counties approves the measure, the road ahead will more than likely be incredibly difficult.

frozen water under a bridge in the city

So, If They All Vote In Favor Of Separation, Does It Automatically Happen?

The quick answer is no, it does not.

The ballot question is advisory, meaning it does not automatically change any borders or create a new state. Instead, it asks whether county boards should work with other counties outside Cook County to explore the possibility of separating, forming a new state, and seeking admission to the United States under Article IV, Section 3 of the US Constitution.

Creating a new state from an existing one requires approval from the Illinois General Assembly as well as Congress. Political and constitutional experts say those hurdles make the chances of an actual split extremely remote.

However, the movement continues to grow. If all seven counties place the question on the November ballot, roughly 40 of Illinois' 102 counties will have voted on whether to begin exploring life outside the political orbit of Chicago.