Illinois Voters Weigh Splitting From Chicago’s Political Reach

WHO:

Fox News - Loret Newlin is director of Illinois Separation, the group leading the push for voters to consider separating from Cook County and forming a new state.

Fox News - Newlin said residents outside the Chicago area feel ignored by state government: “Our area is not taken into consideration when laws are being made.”

Fox News - Newlin said state laws are “centered to benefit Chicago and Cook [County].”

Fox News - Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker opposes separation; a spokesperson for his office previously called the movement a “stunt” that is “not going to happen,” according to NBC Chicago.

Fox News - State Sen. Ram Villivalam introduced the proposed per-mile tax; his district includes part of Chicago.

WHAT:

Fox News - Residents in 11 Illinois counties and several townships are to vote on a non-binding referendum asking whether they are interested in separating from Cook County to form a new state.

Newsweek - The article says voters in 12 Illinois counties will vote on whether to explore separating from the state.

Fox News - The referendums are intended to gauge support for forming a separate state from Illinois counties outside Cook County.

Fox News - Newlin cited a proposed per-mile tax for drivers moving through the Illinois legislature as an example of policies she says overlook downstate residents.

Fox News - Newlin said an earlier effort to defeat the proposal succeeded in 2019.

Fox News - Newlin criticized Illinois’ SAFE-T Act, saying she was “not happy” with it and believes it “really benefits the criminals.”

Fox News - The SAFE-T Act eliminated cash bail and created a system for judges to decide whether defendants awaiting trial should be detained or released.

WHERE:

Fox News - The separation proposal concerns Cook County, which includes Chicago, and Illinois counties outside Cook County.

Fox News - Newlin said rural residents, farmers, and truckers would be disproportionately affected by the proposed per-mile tax, citing longer commutes and limited access to Chicago’s public transit system.

WHEN:

Fox News - The non-binding referendums are scheduled for November.

Fox News - The SAFE-T Act was signed into law by Democratic Gov. JB Pritzker in 2021.

Fox News - The movement invokes Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, the provision cited in the creation of West Virginia in 1863.

WHY:

Fox News - Newlin said the movement is driven by resentment over Chicago’s influence and the view that residents outside the city are ignored in state policymaking.

Fox News - Newlin argued that rural residents, farmers, and truckers have longer journeys to important destinations and lack the transit options available in Chicago.

Fox News - Newlin said Illinois’ SAFE-T Act benefits criminals and pointed to its effects on Chicago.

(UPDATED October 27, 2026 12:02 UTC)

Residents in 11 Illinois counties and several townships are set to vote in November on non-binding referendums about exploring a break from Cook County and forming a new state. Loret Newlin, director of Illinois Separation, says people outside Chicago feel ignored by state lawmakers and points to a proposed per-mile driving tax as a burden on rural residents, farmers and truckers with longer commutes and fewer transit options. Illinois Governor JB Pritzker opposes the effort, while Newlin also criticizes the state’s SAFE-T Act, which eliminated cash bail and lets judges decide whether defendants awaiting trial should be detained or released.