If the state were to vote on the separation of Chicagoland, it would be a fascinating map. In this proposal, the counties of Lake, Cook, DuPage, McHenry, Kane, DeKalb, Kendall, and Will would become their own state. This is much more feasible than simply Cook becoming its own state. In this vote, you would have strong support in the southern part of the state and moderate support in Cook County. Strong opposition would come in the collar counties and liberal counties downstate and out west.
It would be quite interesting if the entire state of Illinois was allowed to vote on whether or not to essentially give Chicagoland the boot - haha!
If only the Chicagoland counties were allowed to vote on such a proposal, do you think the numbers in Cook County would be enough to overcome the high margins in the well-to-do suburbs?
In 2012 Cook cast 2.01M votes while the other Chicagoland counties on the map cast 1.37M votes. So if Cook was 60% yes, the rest of the counties would have to vote 65% no to defeat it. If Cook was 65%, it would take 72% no from the rest.
FTR Kankakee is as much a part of Chicagoland as DeKalb. Grundy is usually in the same category as DeKalb and Kankakee, too. All three are part of the exurban "ring around the collar".
