Madison County on Tuesday joined a growing list in downstate Illinois in approving a symbolic referendum about splitting from the Chicago area and forming a new state.
Voters passed the measure by 56.5% to 43.5%.
The result in the Metro East county marks the first in a suburban region to support the idea, signaling the movement is more than just an urban-rural divide.
“I think this movement has a lot more teeth to it than the governor has given it credit for. He's kind of pooh-poohing us and not taking us very seriously,” said Dave Stopher, a Troy resident who led the charge to get the question before voters. “We're hoping that this sends a very distinct and clear message to Springfield and to Cook County.”
In May, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker criticized the measure, saying separating from the state shouldn’t even be a discussion.
“I simply want to remind everyone here that we are one Illinois,” Pritzker said. “Madison County is just as important to our state as Chicago is. It’s also, frankly, too easy to let partisanship and regional differences divide us.”
Six other counties — Calhoun, Clinton, Greene, Iroquois, Jersey and Perry — also approved the measure Tuesday by wide margins. In total, 33 counties have now voted in favor of these advisory referendums, which are not legally binding.
All but Madison, which has a population of roughly 265,000, have been rural counties.
The question on ballots asked voters if their county board should communicate with other county boards about forming a new state separate from Cook County, home to Chicago.
While actually seceding, or formally withdrawing from the state, remains highly improbable to do, advocates believe these referendums act as an official poll, quantifying downstate’s discontent with the direction of Illinois’ state government.
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