Politics & Government
Pass Or Fail: 2024 Chicago-Area Referenda Draw Voters To Polls
From multimillion-dollar bond issues to tax hikes, here's a roundup of results from referenda that passed or failed in suburban counties.
ACROSS CHICAGO, IL — Thousands of voters cast their ballot on referenda across the Chicago area Tuesday.
The ballot questions that passed could mean tax hikes in exchange for improvements to infrastructure or government-run buildings. In addition, several forest preserve districts placed referendums on ballots, with the hopes of securing funds for upgrades to trails and continued conservation efforts.
In Addison Township, voters supported a measure to abolish the road district, and in Skokie, where there's been just three mayors elected in the past 60 years, voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum establishing term limits for village officials.
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Here is a look at some of the referendums across the Chicago area that have passed or failed — or are still waiting on final results — this election:
LAKE COUNTY
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Lake County residents should expect to see improvements and updates to forest preserves in the coming years as a referendum appearing on voters ballots appears poised to pass.
The passage will mean a higher property tax bill for Lake County residents, which will in turn add $155 million in funds to the forest preserves' coffers. The funds would be used for land acquisition and public access improvements and habitat restoration, according to officials with the Lake County Forest Preserves.
Voters in Highland Park and Moraine Township have approved both referendums on the ballot in Tuesday's election, according to unofficial results from the Lake County Clerk's Office.
The Moraine Township Mental Health Board referendum passed with 72.1 percent support, tallying 12,158 votes in favor and 4,691 against. And a citizen-initiated municipal advisory referendum on allowing liquor license holders to serve on the Highland Park City Council passed with 81.8 percent support, totaling 13,375 votes in favor to 2,973 against.
KANE COUNTY
Voters OK Kane County Forest Preserves Upgrades; Referendum Passes
More improvements to forest preserves in Kane County could be coming soon as voters appear poised to pass a forest preserve district referendum that appeared on their ballots Tuesday.
With all precincts reporting, 122,532 voted in favor of the proposition to increase the limiting rate and 86,611 voted "no," according to unofficial results. The measure is expected to increase property taxes for homeowners by about $35 per year for residents living in homes valued at $350,000.
DUPAGE COUNTY
DuPage Township
DuPage Township Food Pantry Referendum Projected To Pass
The DuPage Township referendum for new food pantry plans is projected to pass. According to unofficial results, 27,505 people voted yes to the referendum, while 7,394 voted no, as of unofficial results on Wednesday morning. DuPage Township serves Bolingbrook, and parts of Romeoville and Naperville.
Naperville
$420M Bond Referendum Appears To Pass In Indian Prairie 204
On Tuesday, the majority of voters favored a $420 million bond referendum question presented by Indian Prairie School District 204. The district plans to use the funds to make upgrades throughout its schools.
The unofficial totals as of 10:20 p.m. are listed below, with 96 percent of precincts reporting in Will County and 100 percent of precincts reporting in DuPage County.
Elmhurst
Elmhurst Park Tax Hike Takes Big Lead: 2024 Election Results
In Tuesday's election, the Elmhurst Park District's proposed property tax hike took a sizable lead, according to unofficial returns.
With all precincts counted as of 9:30 p.m., 13,944 voters, or 57 percent, favored the tax increase referendum, with 10,331, or 43 percent, against. Under the proposal, the property tax increase is projected to cost $317 a year for the owner of a house valued at $500,000, which is close to Elmhurst's median.
Wheaton
District 200 $151M Bond Referendum Likely To Pass: Unofficial Results
With 100 percent of precincts reporting as of 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, the majority of voters had favored a $151.5 million bond referendum question presented by Community Unit School District 200.
The referendum question seemed likely to pass, with the district planning to use the funds to make upgrades to Edison, Franklin and Monroe Middle Schools. Security upgrades, larger classroom spaces, renovated music, library, gym spaces, upgrades to roofing, plumbing, HVAC systems and more are among the fixes possible with the passage of the referendum.
Downers Grove
Downers Grove Gaming Referendum Likely To Fail: Unofficial Results
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, per the DuPage County Clerk's Office, the majority of voters did not favor the video gaming referendum question presented by the village.
COOK COUNTY
Crestwood
Voters in Crestwood overwhelmingly passed an advisory referendum that mirrored a statewide referendum to provide property tax relief by creating an additional 3 percent tax on income greater than $1 million.
Skokie
Skokie Term Limits Referendum Wins By Large Margin
Residents of a town that has had just 3 mayors in the past 60 years headed to the polls to decide whether to impose term limits. Skokie voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum establishing term limits on village officials, with nearly five out of six supporting the measure on Election Day.
The binding referendum question will limit the village’s mayor, clerk, and trustees to three consecutive four-year terms in the latest initiative-driven shift in local governance. Unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk show 20,184 votes in favor and 3,901 against — a margin of 84 percent to 16.
The measure will restrict the mayor, village clerk, and trustees to three consecutive four-year terms, starting with the 2025 election cycle for at-large positions and the 2027 cycle for district-specific trustee seats.
Kenilworth
Kenilworth Park District Tax Hike Referendum: Election Results
Kenilworth voters rejected a proposed property tax increase aimed at funding parks and recreation improvements, according to unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk's Office.
With 100 percent of precincts reporting, 762 voters opposed the measure, while 462 voters supported it, a margin of 62 percent to 38 percent. The referendum, if passed, would have raised an additional $492,000 per year for the park district to fund projects including a new community recreation center and upgrades to Townley Field.
Glencoe
Home Rule Referendum, $14.7 Million Park District Bond Approved By Voters In Glencoe
Voters in Glencoe have approved both major referendums on the ballot in the village, according to unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk’s Office. The measure to adopt home rule status passed with 71.8 percent of the vote, with 2,717 in favor and 1,066 against.
Meanwhile, the referendum seeking approval for a $14.7 million bond sale by the Glencoe Park District also won support, passing with 69.1 percent of voters in favor — 3,065 votes for and 1,370 against.
Northfield
Northfield Voters Reject Proposal For Happ Road Roundabout In Citizen-Initiated Referendum
Northfield residents have decisively rejected a proposed roundabout at the intersection of Happ Road, Orchard Lane and Walnut Street, according to unofficial results from the Cook County Clerk's Office. With 2,161 residents voting against it and 954 in favor, about 70 percent of voters opposed the project. Results of the village's roundabout referendum are not binding, but trustees in the town of fewer than 6,000 people immediately responded.
“The residents of Northfield have spoken loud and clear, seven of every 10 residents voted against the roundabout referendum. What a great day for citizen engagement. As a home rule village, it is now incumbent on the Village Board to tell Cook County what our residents want," Trustee Barnaby Dinges told Patch, "and that’s Happ Road improvements without a dangerous roundabout.”
Addison
Voters Axe Addison Township Road District
The proposal to eliminate Addison Township's road district won the support of 58 percent of voters in Tuesday's election.
In the referendum, voters were asked whether they wanted to abolish the road district and have the township government absorb its responsibilities. The township includes the northern part of Elmhurst. Under state law, elected highway commissioners control township road districts without interference from township boards.
Glenview
Glenview Community Consolidated School District 34 Referendum Voted Down
Residents voted against a property tax increase referendum for homeowners in Glenview Community Consolidated School District 34, according to unofficial results.
If the measure had passed, district officials said the operating property tax rate would increase by 0.164 percent. For example, for the 2024 levy year, the approximate amount of the additional tax extendable against property containing a single family residence and having a fair market value at the time of the referendum of $100,000 is estimated to be $49.
"While the outcome is not what we had hoped for, we respect the community's decision and are grateful to everyone who took the time to engage in the process and voice their opinion," Superintendent Dane A. Delli said in a statement. "This outcome will require us to make some difficult choices in the months ahead to address the budgetary shortfall. We are committed to being responsible in managing these changes, and we will keep the community informed as we develop plans moving forward."
La Grange
La Grange Tax Hike Measure Way Ahead: 2024 Election Results
Support for the referendum to increase the Park District of La Grange's property taxes took a big lead in Tuesday's election.
With all precincts counted, 6,161, or 74 percent, voted for the measure, while 2,122, or 26 percent, were against it, according to unofficial returns. In August, three board members for the Park District of La Grange voted to put the issue on the ballot. Two others were absent.
Lemont
The Lemont Fire Protection District's $46.195 million bond referendum is projected to pass. 7,868 people voted for the referendum, while 4,778 voted against, according to unofficial results.
The $46,195,000 bond referendum is focused on improving emergency response times, and renovating and relocating facilities. The question on the ballot read: "Shall the Lemont Fire Protection District, Cook, DuPage and Will Counties, Illinois, build, improve and equip fire stations and facilities, including relocating two existing fire stations, and issue its bonds to the amount of $46,195,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof?
WILL COUNTY
Bolingbrook
Bolingbrook's Video Gambling Referendum Projected To Pass
The village of Bolingbrook's advisory referendum asking residents about allowing video gambling licenses is projected to pass, with a 1,000 vote lead as of 7 a.m. Wednesday. According to unofficial results, 15,269 people voted "yes" and 14,246 voted "no."
The advisory question on the ballot read: Should the Village of Bolingbrook allow a limited number of video gambling licenses within the corporate boundaries of the Village?
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