By a vote of 15-7, the Madison County Board voted in favor of sending a non-binding referendum to voters in November. County voters will be asked if they want to separate from Cook County to form a new state.
As the eighth most populous county in the state, Madison would be the largest with a secession referendum on the ballot. Illinoisans who want to secede see the Metro East county as a tipping point for their movement to break free from Chicago’s political influence.