Cook County Voters Pass Three Ballot Measures

Voters in Cook County weighed in on several ballot measures on Nov. 3, 2026, alongside national and local races.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

Cook County Voters Pass Three Ballot Measures

Live Poll

Should Illinois residents earning over $1 million a year pay a 3% surcharge for schools?

Cook County residents voted on several ballot measures on Nov. 3, 2026, and three notable measures passed. Among them was an initiative asking whether Illinois should seek financial compensation from the federal government for expenses tied to ICE operations under Operation Midway Blitz.

Why it matters

The compensation measure covers safety response expenses, lost tax revenue, and services provided to individuals affected by the raids, a question of direct concern to Illinois residents. The advisory results are non-binding but can inform lawmakers as they draft and vote on future legislation.

The Nov. 3, 2026 advisory referendum on a millionaire tax proposes a 3% surcharge on residents earning over $1 million, an estimated 1% of Illinois residents. Officially changing the tax would require a state constitutional amendment, and the advisory results carry no binding authority.

The players

Cook County

The Chicago-area county whose voters decided several ballot measures in the November 2026 election.

Chicago

Illinois's largest city, which put forward the advisory referendums and previously ran the ShotSpotter gunshot detection program until 2024.

The details

One measure asked whether Illinois should seek compensation for expenses from ICE operations, citing safety response costs, lost tax revenue, and services for affected individuals. A separate advisory referendum asked Chicagoans about a millionaire tax whose revenue would be distributed evenly to support public education and relieve property taxes.

2024: Chicago discontinued its ShotSpotter gunshot detection technology.
Nov. 3, 2026: Cook County voters cast ballots on the measures and referendums.

Big Picture

Chicago's 2024 decision to discontinue ShotSpotter is the backdrop for the advisory referendum asking voters whether to renew gunshot detection technology. The city is simultaneously developing a newer detection system, so the vote reflects an ongoing reassessment of public safety tools.

Lawmakers can pursue compensation from the federal government regardless of the advisory vote's outcome. The millionaire tax, if adopted, would require a constitutional amendment before it could change how Illinois residents are taxed.

The takeaway

Advisory referendums give voters a direct voice on policy even when their results are non-binding, and they can shape how lawmakers approach future legislation.