Eleven Illinois Counties to Vote on State Separation

Voters will consider non-binding referenda on the potential to form a new state in November 2026.

Updated on Oct. 25, 2026 in Elections

Bold flat-color editorial illustration showing a sharp geometric silhouette of Illinois split by a diagonal line, representing state political division. — Eleven Illinois counties have placed non-binding referenda on the 2026 ballot to explore separating from the state following local legislative disputes. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Live Poll

Should local counties be allowed to separate from their states to form new, independent states?

Eleven Illinois counties have placed non-binding referenda on the November 2026 midterm election ballot regarding separation from Cook County. The ballot questions ask for correspondence between county boards to explore the possibility of forming a new state.

Why it matters

The organization Illinois Separation claims that current state leadership ignores their concerns and passes laws that negatively impact these areas. This effort seeks to express local dissatisfaction through a formal vote, although the proposed separation would still require approval from the Illinois General Assembly and the U.S. Congress.

These 11 new referenda follow 33 previous county votes in favor of separation, which could bring the total to 44 of the 102 counties in Illinois if they pass. Previous support has included significant margins, such as 73% of voters in Iroquois County.

The players

Illinois Separation

This is an organization that coordinates referendum drives across the state to challenge current leadership.

Illinois General Assembly

This is the legislative body required to approve any formal proposal for the state to separate.

U.S. Congress

This is the federal body that maintains the constitutional authority to approve the creation of new states.

The details

The ballot measures instruct county boards to correspond with other non-Cook County boards regarding the feasibility of state formation. While the group Illinois Separation coordinates these drives, the governor's administration has explicitly stated that the separation effort will not occur.

November 2026 is when the midterm election voting occurs.
1820 was the year Maine separated from Massachusetts.
1863 was the year West Virginia was admitted as a state.

Political Context

The proposed separation of Illinois counties follows a pattern set by the 1863 admission of West Virginia as a state, which highlights the legal complexity of partitioning existing territories. Opponents argue that such efforts are functionally impossible, citing the governor's administration stating the movement will not move forward.

These non-binding votes serve as a measure of local sentiment rather than changing immediate tax obligations or state regulations. Residents in participating counties should note that the referenda do not carry legal weight to trigger an actual shift in state borders or administrative jurisdiction.

The takeaway

These referenda demonstrate ongoing geographic polarization between urban and rural voters in Illinois. Residents participating in the 2026 election should recognize that while these measures drive local discourse, they remain symbolic under current constitutional processes.