(WTVO) — Voters in six Illinois counties will be asked if they should break away from Illinois and form a new state.
The non-binding advisory referendum will appear on the ballot in Calhoun, Clinton, Greene, Jersey, Madison, and Perry counties.
The ballot question addresses growing frustration from voters in downstate Illinois who feel that Chicago directs state government, leaving the concerns of the state’s rural population unaddressed.
Over the last several election cycles, 26 Illinois counties have passed symbolic referendums.
An organization called New Illinois has been pursuing the formation of a new state, “separate from the current State of Illinois, Urban Cook County and Chicago,” for several years .
“All power in Illinois government is concentrated in Cook County and Chicago. This leaves the rest of the States’ residents with no real representation,” the organization has said.
Attorney General Kwame Raoul shot down the idea , saying, “It is my opinion that non-home-rule counties… do not have the authority to secede from the state of Illinois and join another state. Accordingly, any referendum on the issue of county secession would have no binding legal effect.”