ILLINOIS SEPARATION REFERENDUM WORDING:
"Shall the board of _______ County correspond with the boards of the other counties of Illinois outside of Cook County about the possibility of separating from Cook County to form a new state, and to seek admission to the union as such, subject to the approval of the people?"
"SEND MESSAGE" button, please, to learn how to get this on your county's ballot i
f it hasnt been. Use the suggested questions or make up your own. NOTE: SOME OF THE LARGEST COUNTIES, SUCH AS MADISON & SANGAMON, have unique petitions and instructions, so please message the page.
2024 REFERENDUM EXPLANATION
1. The Referendum gives "We the People" a voice about what WE want – whether for or against. According to the Declaration of Independence, government derives "it's just powers by the CONSENT of the governed". Many of us no longer consent to being governed by the Cook County-dominated legislature which seems unaware of how differently the rest of the state lives, our values and morals, or how laws for the city of Chicago are inappropriate and oppressive to the rest of the state.
2. This is a non-binding referendum and does not make the split happen but is an important first step. The vote assesses the will of "We the People" and informs local, state, and federal officials.
3. The Referendum gives county boards and commissioners a "seat at the table" to discuss the possibility of separating.
4. We are aware debt and pension obligations will need to be divided fairly, and there are the universities and prisons to consider.
5. We are aware Cook County contributes a sizable amount to the Illinois coffers; however, Cook also has significant expenses, such as debt, and pension load. There are areas we would save money by separating. With different laws, we would attract businesses.
6. AFTER the will of "We the People" is known through voting, THEN discussions about finances can begin. Until voting, we cannot begin to know which counties are in favor of exploring statehood or what we have to work with. Passing the Referendum gives local officials consent and direction from its citizens to communicate with other consenting counties about assets, liabilities, and other details.
7. It is our Constitutional, first Amendment right to petition the government for a redress of grievances. Because of the Chicago-dominated legislature, we see no way to have those grievances resolved other than through forming a new state.
8. Our goal is to restore the state to alignment with the U. Constitution. and return more power to the county level.
9. If the county officials vote to approve putting the Referendum on ballots, a "YES" vote means the official is in favor of allowing citizens opportunity to be heard at the ballot box, whether for or against exploring the possibility of separation. PLEASE MESSAGE THE PAGE FOR PETITIONS AND MORE INFO.
