Indiana has looked at adding 33 counties from Illinois that signaled they want to leave the state - which could lead to whole new maps of the U.S.
Indiana House Republicans have listed embracing the counties from neighboring Illinois as one of their top 2025 legislative session priorities. House Speaker Todd Huston said Thursday that Republicans are considering the proposal after roughly a third of counties in the Prairie state voted to break away.
If successful, it will drastically alter the map for Illinoisans.
“We just think this is a great opportunity for people that are interested in Illinois that want to secede, but we say, ‘join us.’ Low taxes, low regulatory environment, a ton of economic development already taking place,” Huston told Fox32. “We're kinda raising our hand to say 'hey don't start a 51st state, we'd love to have you in Indiana.’”
In November, the rural counties of Iroquois, Calhoun, Clinton, Green, Jersey, Madison and Perry voted “yes” to whether they should explore “the possibility of separating from Cook County to form a new state and to seek admission to the Union as such.”
Since then, according to Huston, the counties that share the sentiment has risen to 33 in total.
The counties, which are largely in central and southern Illinois, have expressed frustration by the “dominance” of Chicago in Cook County, a Democrat stronghold. The population of Illinois is almost 13 million, and half of them live in Chicago and its metropolitan area.
Rural communities outside of Cook County are largely Republican.
“Our governor claims we're in Illinois,” Loret Newlin, director and coordinator of campaign group Illinois Separation Referendum, told Indiana’s 13 News. “But those of us who live outside Cook County know we aren't and haven't been. We don't see a way to fix it.”
Campaigners face an uphill climb. Both state legislatures need to pass bills approving the change, and while Republicans hold a supermajority in Indiana, Democrats have the same in Illinois.
In addition, the U.S. Congress would need the final sign-off on the proposal.
The Illinois Separation Referendum is campaigning to take things one step further and create an entirely new state.
“Cook County, and especially Chicago, has a distinctly different set of needs, different ethics and a radically different culture from Downstate Illinois. The needs of Downstate often go unattended,” a post on the campaign’s Facebook page reads.
“We believe that the difference in culture and needs of Chicago and Downstate can best be addressed by having two different states with their own governing bodies.”
