Chicago, Illinois: 12 More Counties Back Separation as Total Reaches 45

Voters in 12 Illinois counties approved separation referendums on Tuesday, November 3, and several townships in Adams County approved the same idea, adding a new round of wins for a movement that wants downstate Illinois to break away from Chicago and Cook County. A county by county review of the results, reported by FOX 32 Chicago, puts the total at 45 counties that have approved non-binding separation measures since 2020.

What the votes showed

NBC Chicago tracked the results county by county on election night. In Coles County, 62.67 percent of voters said yes, 9,963 votes to 5,935 with all precincts reporting. Gallatin County backed the idea with 69.94 percent of the vote. Hamilton County voted yes with 79.65 percent, and Washington County approved its measure with 75.58 percent. FOX 32 reported that Ford County approved a separately worded referendum that is not part of the Illinois Separation campaign. Every measure put to voters on Tuesday passed.

Why supporters want a split

Supporters say lawmakers in Springfield pass laws that favor Cook County and Chicago at the expense of downstate communities. "The state legislature tends to not take us into consideration when they're making their laws," said Loret Newlin, who is helping lead the Illinois Separation referendum effort. Newlin said the goal is an entirely new state, not downstate counties joining Indiana. Any split would need approval from the Illinois General Assembly and from Congress, and she acknowledged that separation would be a lengthy process.

The money argument cuts both ways

Research from the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University complicates the fairness claim. The study, based on 2013 tax and budget records, found that Southern Illinois receives about $2.81 in state funding for every $1 it generates in taxes, and Central Illinois receives about $1.87 for every $1 it contributes. Cook County receives about 90 cents for every dollar it generates, while suburban counties receive about 53 cents. Indiana has offered another path. State Representative Todd Huston told FOX Chicago in 2025 that Indiana is raising its hand and would love to have the counties join Indiana rather than start a 51st state. Huston pointed to Indiana's lower taxes and regulatory environment, and he cited more than 100,000 people moving from Illinois to Indiana since 2020.

What happens next

The votes change nothing on their own. The referendums are non-binding, no county leaves Illinois, and the state map stays as it is. Organizers say they will keep putting the question before voters in more counties, and Newlin said the group has heard from people in every county in the state who are interested in pursuing referendums. For now, the results send a political message to Springfield that frustration outside the Chicago area is not going away.