Here Are Preliminary Results of Chicago-Area Referendums From the 2023 Elections

Thousands of suburban voters headed to the polls this week for the 2023 municipal elections, and dozens of municipalities had referendums and advisory questions on their ballots.

Whether voting on school funding, sales tax increases, home rule status or even cannabis sales, these questions will play a pivotal role in shaping the future in numerous communities.

You can find more details on your county’s specific referendums by visiting the county clerks’ website, which is linked at the top of each list.

Note: All election results are preliminary and have not yet been certified, pending any potential recounts of ballots or the arrival of mail-in ballots in the legally-allowed timeframe.

Cook County:

Barrington Park District:

-Shall the district issue bonds in the amount of $18.8 million for projects at Langendorf Park? (70.2% vote yes)

Calumet City:

-Shall term limits be enacted for the city’s mayor, limiting them to three consecutive four-year terms? (53.5% vote NO)

Des Plaines:

-Shall the city of Des Plaines prohibit all elected officials from serving more than two terms? (64% vote YES)

Elgin:

-Shall the board of education issue bonds in the amount of $179 million to pay for a variety of construction projects and improvements in area schools? (65.7% vote YES)

Franklin Park:

-Shall the village of Franklin Park reduce the vehicle license pee paid for a motor vehicle owned by a veteran of the armed forces?  (88.1% vote YES)

-Shall the village of Franklin Park reduce the vehicle license fee paid for a motor vehicle owned by an active-duty service member of the armed forces? (89% vote YES)

-Shall the village of Franklin Park reduce the vehicle license fee for an electric motor vehicle owned and registered by a resident? (51.5% vote NO)

Glencoe:

-Shall the village of Glencoe replace a city-operated golf course clubhouse with a new multi-purpose facility, and issue bonds in the amount of $15 million to finance the construction? (57.6% vote YES)

Hodgkins:

-Shall the Hodgkins Public Library District issue bonds in the amount of $5.5 million for erecting and furnishing equipment for a new library building? (74.9% vote YES)

LaGrange Park Park District:

-Shall the limiting rate on property taxes be raised by 0.038% for levy year 2021 for park purposes? (52.8% vote NO)

-Shall the Community Park District of LaGrange Park, Cook County, Illinois, improve the site of and renovate the Recreation Center and build and equip an addition thereto, including building a gymnasium with athletic and recreational facilities, and issue its bonds to the amount of $10,700,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof? (50.7% vote YES)

Long Grove:

-Shall the Long Grove Fire Protection District acquire land and build a new fire station and issue bonds to the amount of $16.5 million for paying the costs thereof? (78.3% vote YES)

Lyons:

-Shall the village of Lyons become a home rule unit of government? (66.1% vote NO)

Merrionette Park:

-Shall the village consider contracting with the Cook County Sheriff’s Police for all of its police services? (76.4% vote NO)

-Shall the village hire up to five full-time police officers to ensure public safety? (77.8% vote YES)

Norridge:

-Shall the village of Norridge consider the use of solar power, wind power or geothermal renewable energy sources in any future projects in the village if it doesn’t increase the cost of a project by more than 5%? (65.2% vote YES)

-Shall the village of Norridge pursue obtaining its own postal ZIP code? (62.8% vote YES)

-Shall the village of Norridge dedicate resources to planting trees in public parkways? (69.7% vote YES)

Orland Park:

-Shall the village of Orland Park retain the managerial form of municipal government? (65.8% vote YES)

Pennoyer School District 79:

-Shall the board of education issue bonds in the amount of $9.7 million to pay for improvements in schools? (61% vote YES)

Shall District 79 be permitted to increase its limiting rate for school purposes? (59.9% voted YES)

Prospect Heights:

-Shall the limiting rate be increased by an amount equal to 0.48% above the limiting rate to install security equipment, replacing windows, and doors at five different schools, while renovating Eisenhower Elementary School for full-day kindergarten? (53.6% voted NO)

Roselle:

-Shall the Roselle Library District issue $22 million in bonds to replace the existing building and build a new structure, while acquiring new electronic data storage and retrieval facilities? (59.7% vote YES)

-Shall the Prospect Heights Fire Protection District improve fire stations, purchase emergency response equipment and acquire fire and rescue apparatus and equipment and issue bonds in the amount of $10 million for paying the costs thereof? (68.1% vote YES)

Schiller Park:

-Shall the village of Schiller Park charge five dollars a month on each single-family residence water bill to partially-fund infrastructure and lead service line replacement costs? (50.4% vote YES)

South Barrington:

-Shall the South Barrington Park District sell a 34-acre parcel of real property consisting of all land, commonly known as Area N, located at the southeast corner of Bartlett Road and Route 59 in South Barrington? (58.6% vote YES)

Thornton Township:

-Shall Thornton Township levy a new annual tax not to exceed 0.15% on taxable properties to fund mental health facilities and services? (51.1% vote NO)

Western Springs:

Shall District 101 be permitted to increase its limiting rate for school construction purposes? (55.7% voted YES)

Worth:

-Shall the limiting rate be increased by an amount equal to 0.2% for levy year 2021 for public recreation costs? (52.6% vote YES)

DeKalb County:

Central Community Unit School District 301:

-Shall the board issue bonds in the amount of $195 million to build a new high school building, auditorium, labs, athletic stadium, and other fields? (0 vote results released)

Kaneland Community Unit School District 302:

-Shall the Board of Education of Kaneland Community Unit School District Number 302 issue bonds in the amount of $57.5 million to build an addition to Kaneland High School?  (71.1% vote NO, but measure still carries)

DuPage County:

Addison:

Should the office of village clerk become an appointed-office? (61.8% vote NO)

Roselle Public Library:

-Shall the library board issue $22 million in bonds to raise needed revenue to build and furnish a new library building? (51.9% vote NO)

School District U-46:

-Shall the school district issue $179 million in bonds to implement a new middle school model, ensure schools have up-to-date safety and security features, equitable access to school programs, and update buildings with new preschool opportunities, new playgrounds and greenspaces, and an enhanced maintenance and repair budget? (50.4% vote NO, but measure passes)

School District 94:

-Shall Community High School District 94 allow $4-to-6 million of future tax dollars, raised primarily from the Central DuPage Hospital’s development of Winfield town center, to be diverted away from the district and into Winfield TIF2, where it would be used to develop a new $16 million Village Hall and Police Station? (80.4% vote NO)  

NOTE: Grundy County’s sample ballot does not show any referendums in this election cycle.

Kane County:

Batavia:

-Shall the elected office of the city clerk be abolished, and the duties of the city clerk be assigned to an appointed city clerk? (54% vote NO)

-Shall the elected office of the city treasurer be abolished, and the duties of the city treasurer be assigned to the City Finance Director at no additional cost to the city? (63.3% vote YES)

Batavia School District 101:

-Shall the board of education build a new HC Storm school and a new Louise White school, and issue bonds in the amount of $140 million to pay for the costs? (54.8% vote NO)

Central School District 301:

-Shall the board issue bonds in the amount of $195 million to build a new high school building, auditorium, labs, athletic stadium, and other fields? (54.3% vote NO)

Elburn:

-Shall the village of Elburn build and equip a public safety facility for the Elburn Police Department and improve the site thereof, and issue general obligation bonds in the amount of $9.9 million for the purpose of paying the costs thereof? (62% vote NO)

Elgin:

-Shall the board of education issue bonds in the amount of $179 million to pay for a variety of construction projects and improvements in area schools?  (67% vote YES)

Hampshire:

-Shall the limited rate under the property tax extension limitation law be increased by an amount equal to 0.41% above the limiting rate for levy year 2021 to acquire the site of, and build, equip and operate a new community recreation center and for other park purposes? (69.9% vote NO)

Kaneland Community School District 302:

-Shall the Board of Education of Kaneland Community Unit School District Number 302 issue bonds in the amount of $57.5 million to build an addition to Kaneland High School?  (58.1% vote NO)

Sugar Grove Library:

-Shall the limited rate under the property tax extension limitation law be increased by an additional amount equal to 0.147% above the limiting rate for library purposes for levy year 2021 and be equal to 0.271% of the equalized assessed value of the taxable property for levy year 2023? (67.6% vote YES)

Kankakee County:

Countywide:

-Should a 0.25% sales tax levy be implemented in Kankakee County to fund mental health programs? (63.7% vote NO)

Bourbonnais:

-Should a new retailers and non-home-rule sales tax be added to help alleviate property taxes? (50.9% vote NO)

Kendall County:

Oswego:

-Shall the Oswego Fire Protection District repair and improve its fire stations and purchase emergency response fleet and equipment, and levy bonds in the amount of $17 million with the purpose of paying the costs thereof? (57.8% vote YES)

Plainfield:

-Shall the village of Plainfield allow cannabis businesses to operate within the village? (54.1% vote YES)

Lake County:

Aptaksic-Tripp School District #102:

-Shall the board of education issue bonds in the amount of $49 million to pay for security upgrades and various facility improvements? (50.3% vote NO)

Barrington Park District:

-Shall the district issue bonds in the amount of $18.8 million for projects at Langendorf Park? (67.5% vote YES)

Lake Forest Community High School District #115:

-Shall the Board of Education repair and equip Lake Forest High School facilities, and issue bonds in the amount of $105.7 million to pay the costs thereof?  (50.9% vote YES)

Lakemoor:

Shall the village of Lakemoor become a home rule unit? (85% vote NO)

Long Grove Fire Protection District:

-Shall the Long Grove Fire Protection District, Lake and Cook Counties, Illinois, acquire land and build and equip a new fire station and issue its bonds to the amount of $16,500,000 for the purpose of paying the costs thereof? (50.2% vote YES)

Mundelein Consolidated High School District #120:

-Shall the Board of Education of Mundelein issue $175 million in bonds to pay for a variety of improvements and construction projects?  (54.8% vote NO)

Round Lake:

Shall the village clerk in the village of Round Lake be appointed by the village president, with the advice and consent of the village board of trustees, rather than elected? (56.6% vote NO)

Wauconda:

-Shall the village of Wauconda become a home rule unit? (59.1% vote NO)

Waukegan:

-Shall the city of Waukegan adopt a managerial form of municipal government? (56% vote NO)

LaSalle County:

Reading:

-Shall the Reading Township Fire Protection District levy a special tax, not to exceed .30% of the value of all taxable property, for the purposes of providing an ambulance service? (78% vote YES)

McHenry County:

Algonquin Township:

-Shall Algonquin Township be authorized to contract, administer or license a refuse collection, disposal and recycling program on behalf of the residents of the unincorporated areas of the township? (62% vote YES)

Bull Valley:

-Shall the village of Bull Valley, McHenry County, Illinois, become a home rule unit of government? (76.8% vote NO)

Harvard:

-Shall the corporate authorities of the city of Harvard be authorized to levy a municipal sales tax at a rate of 1% of eligible sales for expenditures on public infrastructure? (57.8% vote YES)

Lakemoor:

Shall the village of Lakemoor become a home rule unit? (81.4% vote YES)

Will County:

Beecher:

-Proposition to increase the property tax limiting rate (55.8% vote YES)

Crete Township:

-Proposition to create a new tax rate for pension fund purposes. (66% vote NO)

Homer Glen:

-Advisory question on whether to install license plate readers on public-access roads. (60.4% vote NO)

-Advisory question on exploring a feasibility study to maintain a police department. (62.7% vote NO)

Joliet:

-Proposition to issue $99.5 million in school building bonds. (71.6% vote YES)

Lockport:

-Proposition to issue $2.5 million in school building bonds. (60.8% vote YES)

Orland Park:

-Proposition on whether the village of Orland Park should retain a managerial form of municipal government. (75.9% vote YES)

Oswego:

-Proposition to issue $17 million in fire protection bonds. (81% vote NO, but measure passes)

Plainfield:

-Advisory question on allowing cannabis businesses to operate within the village. (50.5% vote YES)

Rockdale:

-Proposition to create a new tax rate for ambulance service. (72.9% vote NO)

Symerton:

-Proposition to reduce the number of trustees from six to four. (61.1% vote NO)

Wilton Township:

-Proposition to create a new tax rate for joint-bridge tax purposes. (53.2% vote NO)