7 More Illinois Counties To Vote On Seceding From State

A total of 40 Illinois counties are exploring the idea of seceding from the state.

In November 2024, 33 counties in Illinois voted to explore secession from the state. Indiana and Iowa both offered to include the counties in their states. The map has looked like this until now:

Now, 7 more Illinois counties will vote on whether or not to secede in November.

33 counties have already voted to begin the secession process. In every county, all votes were in favor of exploring secession by a wide margin.

The current push is for a state that would be called 'New Illinois', if the counties don't join Indiana or Iowa. This November, the 7 additional counties to vote on whether or not to explore secession are: Coles, Henderson, Macoupin, Monroe, Hamilton, Saline, and Gallatin. Washington County is also considering putting it on their ballot too.

Historically, Illinois was actually part of Indiana, from 1800-1809 before becoming it's own state.

To shift state lines around, federal-level approvals are needed. Congress has to sign off on the secession, as does the President. Gov. JB Pritzker isn't buying into the idea of the secession, saying he is committed to governing all parts of Illinois fairly.

A spokesperson for the Governor called the separation effort a "stunt" and said "it's not going to happen".

Illinois Separation and New Illinois are pushing for the secession, citing Article IV, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution, which says:

New states may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but no new state shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any other state; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states, or parts of states, without the consent of the legislatures of the states concerned as well as of the Congress.

They also refer to the examples of Maine, which separated from Massachusetts, and West Virginia, which separated from Virginia during the Civil War.