Rural Illinois Counties Vote To Secede—but How Hard Is It To Switch States Without Having To Move?

There’s county chaos between two Midwestern states after residents voted to secede.

The borderline battle is between Illinois and Indiana residents—after seven Illinois counties voted in November to leave. In all, voters in 33 counties say they no longer want to be part of the Prairie State.

The average median home price in the Chicago area, according to Realtor.com®, is $335,000. In Indianapolis, it’s $260,000, offering a far cheaper cost of living.

But, the move isn’t so simple and lawmakers still need to look into the proposal and decide whether or not to redraw the state border. Indiana House Republicans have introduced House Bill 1008 to create a commission to look into the proposal.

The ballot question posed to Illinois voters in the November election alluded to “the possibility of separating from Cook County to form a new state or to seek admission to the Union as such,” says Indiana House Speaker Todd Huston, a Republican.

The seven Illinois counties where this referendum passed—Iroquois, Calhoun, Clinton, Green, Jersey, Madison, and Perry—are all rural and located in the southern and central parts of Illinois.

Why the Hoosier State

Many of the counties that voted in favor of the proposal to secede border Indiana or are near it.

It appears Illinois residents have several reasons, including political lines. Most of the state’s 13 million residents live in the greater Chicago area, which has a strong Democratic voting record. The majority of the state’s land is in rural communities with strong Republican ties. The counties that are looking to secede are in rural areas.

Republicans hold a majority of Indiana and Democrats a majority of Illinois. Lawmakers in Illinois have shown no interest in allowing counties to leave the state.

Indiana politicians are pointing to another reason for the move: taxes.

“To all of our neighbors in the West, we hear your frustrations and invite you to join us in low-cost, low-tax Indiana,” says Huston, who adds that the bill isn’t meant to “stir up trouble with Illinois.”

“The idea that some place in Illinois wants to kick out another place in Illinois should not be on the ballot. It shouldn’t be something that’s part of a lexicon and discussion of politicians. We’re one state,” says Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

Not so fast

Within the counties that want to leave Illinois, there’s disagreement. Some counties want to be part of Indiana or even Missouri, and other counties want to form their own state.

The chairman of the board of New Illinois, a grass-roots group in Illinois, told the NBC Station in Indianapolis that redrawing state lines is not so easy.

G.H. Merritt explains that under the U.S. Constitution, you need approval from both the state legislature and Congress for counties to leave a state. Then, for states to redraw borders, you need “both legislatures and Congress” to sign off.

Currently, HB 1008 is with the Government and Regulatory Reform Committee.

Switching states

Illinois is not alone when it comes to the idea of switching states.

Several counties in Oregon have expressed interest in being part of neighboring Idaho, as part of the Greater Idaho Movement. Voters in 14 eastern and southern Oregon counties have approved joining the state. Experts say it could work because the counties are less populated and mainly focus on agriculture and farming.

In California, the New California State looks to have counties outside San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles divorce from the Golden State.

In 2021, three Maryland counties wanted to join West Virginia, but none ever moved.