45 Illinois Counties Back Referendums to Form New State

Voters in 44 Illinois counties and 11 townships in a 45th county approved non-binding referendums on November 4, 2026, to explore separating from Cook County and forming a new state. The most recent vote included ten counties—Coles, Gallatin, Hamilton, Henderson, Macoupin, McDonough, Monroe, Piatt, Saline, Warren, and Washington—along with eleven townships in Adams County. Support varied by region, with Hamilton County recording 80% approval and McDonough County recording the lowest at 57%.

Led by Loret Newlin and the group Illinois Separation, the movement argues that state lawmakers overlook downstate communities in favor of Chicago and Cook County. Seven counties have already designated contact persons for formal separation petitions planned for 2028. However, research from Southern Illinois University's Paul Simon Public Policy Institute indicates that downstate regions receive more state funding than they contribute in taxes.

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker dismissed the effort as a "stunt," and Attorney General Kwame Raoul questioned its legality. Because the referendums are non-binding, any actual separation would require approval from the Illinois General Assembly and the U.S. Congress. In response to the regional frustration, Indiana State Representative Todd Huston suggested that Indiana would be open to absorbing these communities rather than seeing the creation of a 51st state.