Election 2022: Here Are the Referendums Illinois Voters Will Decide On This Fall

Illinois voters will not only face a host of important decisions when it comes to elected officials this November, but critical questions will also be on ballots across the Chicago area.

There’s only one statewide ballot question this year, involving the Workers Rights Amendment, but there are dozens of questions concerning funding, governmental structure and a host of other issues that could be on the ballots you pull this November.

Here is a county-by-county breakdown of referendums and ballot questions you could be seeing on your ballot.

*Note: If you see an omission, use this link to contact the NBC Chicago digital news desk.

Statewide:

Workers Rights Amendment

Shall the state of Illinois add constitutional protections for workers seeking to unionize?

Full explanations of the measure can be found on the state’s website, and on the NBC Chicago website.

Cook County:

Countywide –

Shall the Forest Preserve District of Cook County be authorized to increase its borrowing limiting rate for purposes of funding conservation efforts, flood mitigation and prevention measures, and instituting improvements for trails, habitats and other efforts?

Officials say the approximate amount of additional tax on a property with a fair-market value of $100,000 would be $8.06.

Individual Communities:

Barrington –

Shall the village of Barrington become a home-rule unit?

Cicero –

Shall ballots cast for write-in candidates for president, clerk, supervisor, assessor, collector and trustees in Cicero be counted in nonpartisan primary elections?

Shall the Cook County State’s Attorney be required to prosecute charges where firearms are used or discharged during the commission of an alleged crime?

Shall the closure of businesses holding a liquor license be moved up one hour to 1 a.m. on Mondays through Fridays, and to 2 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays?

Des Plaines –

Shall the city of Des Plaines eliminate term limits for aldermen and the city clerk?

Evanston –

Shall the city of Evanston used ranked-choice voting for mayoral, clerk and city council elections beginning in April 2025?

Harvey –

Shall the city of Harvey cease to be a home-rule unit?

Homewood –

District 153 is seeking to increase its “limiting rate” to help fund school district expenses. The district says a $100,000 fair market value property would see an additional tax bill of $386.81.

Lemont –

High School District 210 is seeking permission to increase its debt service extension base from $249,604 to $5 million for the 2022 levy year and beyond.

Lynwood –

Shall the village of Lynwood adopt term limits for the offices of village president, clerk or trustee? Limits would prevent holders of those offices for serving for more than four four-year terms.

Melrose Park –

Shall the village of Melrose Park cease to be a home-rule unit?

Northlake –

Should Northlake allow for the keeping of backyard chickens?

Should Northlake cut off live bands and amplified music at 9 p.m. in residential areas?

Oak Brook –

Should the village invest $2.87 million for capital improvements at the Oak Brook Sports Core facility?

Oak Lawn –

Shall the village of Oak Lawn impose a transfer tax on controlling interests in real estate entities at a rate of $5 per every $1,000 in value?

Oak Park Township –

Shall the people of Illinois adopt the Illinois Initiative Amendment, which would give voters the right to propose and enact amendments by means of voter petition and referendum?

Orland Hills –

Shall the village of Orland Hills use 50% of cannabis-related tax revenue to reimburse homeowners for property taxes?

Palatine –

The Board of Education in District 15 is requesting voter permission to issue $93 million in bonds to complete a host of construction projects and repairs.

Park Ridge –

Shall the Park Ridge Park District renovate Oakton Ice Arena, equip an indoor sports facility and studio ice rink at Oakton Park, improve and equip the site, including constructing a walking pathway, improving the driving range and repairing and expanding the parking lot, and issue bonds of $33.4 million to do so?

Pennoyer –

School District 79 is requesting voter permission to issue $7.9 million in bonds to help pay for improvements to infrastructure, mechanical and plumbing systems, and bathrooms and drinking fountains in district facilities.

Prospect Heights –

Shall the Prospect Heights Park District improve, equip and maintain facilities at Lions Park, including replacing the rec center and the outdoor swimming pool, reconfiguring outdoor tennis courts into tennis, pickleball and basketball courts, and replace the playgrounds at area facilities, and issue bonds in the amount of $30 million to fund the project?

Schaumburg Township –

Shall Schaumburg Township levy an annual property tax, not to exceed 0.15%, for purposes of providing community mental health facilities and services for individuals with developmental disabilities or substance abuse disorders?

Skokie –

Shall candidates for mayor, clerk and village trustee in Skokie be elected in nonpartisan primary and general elections beginning on April 1, 2025?

Shall the village also adopt a system of staggered four-year terms and biennial elections for trustees, beginning in 2025?

Shall the village of Skokie adopt a system of hybrid elections in which two of six village trustees are elected at-large, and four of the six are elected from districts, beginning in 2025?

Stickney –

Officials are seeking to increase the limiting rate for the Central Stickney Fire Protection District by 36.1%.

Thornton Township –

Should a portion of Wausau Avenue next to the township building be renamed as “Honorable Frank Zuccarelli Drive”?

Shall Oct. 29, Frank Zuccarelli’s birthday, be declared a township holiday?

Should the township’s logo be changed to include more purple in honor of Zuccarelli’s work with the Gift of Hope?

University Park –

Shall the park district of University Park be formed, and have an aggregate extension not to exceed $800,000 for the levy year of 2023?

Western Springs –

Shall authorities in Western Springs be authorized to levy a non-home rule tax (known as a local sales tax) within the village at a rate of 1%?

Wheeling Township –

Shall Wheeling Township levy an annual property tax not to exceed 0.15% for the purpose of providing mental health facilities and services including facilities and services for persons with developmental disabilities or substance abuse disorders?

Winnetka –

School District 36 is requesting voter permission to issue $59.4 million in bonds to perform repairs and new construction at a variety of school buildings.

More information and exact ballot language can be found on the Cook County Clerk’s website.

DeKalb County:

Genoa-Kingston Fire Protection District –

Shall the limiting borrowing rate for the Genoa-Kingston Fire Protection District be increased by 0.35% above the limiting rate for borrowing year 2021 and be equal to 0.81304% of the assessed value of taxable properties for levy year 2022?

Full language of the above referendum can be found on a sample ballot provided by the DeKalb County Clerk’s office.

DuPage County:

Countywide –

Should DuPage County research and invest in electric vehicle fast-charging stations to provide a revenue stream, drive local economic development and promote a healthy environment?

Should DuPage County assist qualifying small businesses by providing grants to support local economic development and job growth?

Should DuPage County continue to offer support to mental health and substance abuse treatment and prevention programs through the funding of local nonprofits?

Full explanations and language for each of the measures can be found on the County Clerk's website.

Grundy County:

Braceville –

Shall residents of the Braceville Fire Protection District approve an increase in the corporate (fire) tax rate, not to exceed .35% of the value of all taxable property within the district? The current rate is .3%, and officials say the increase would cost the average property owner less than $50 on their tax bill.

You can find full wording, and a full sample ballot, on the Grundy County Clerk’s office website.

Kane County:

Batavia –

Shall Batavia School District 101 issue $140 million in bonds to help build and equip a new HC Storm School and a new Louise White School and demolish the existing buildings, while approving capital projects for other schools in the district?

Campton Hills –

Shall the village clerk of the village of Campton Hills be appointed by the village president, with the advice and consent of the board of trustees, rather than be elected?

More information can be found on the Kane County Clerk’s website.

Kankakee County:

Bourbonnais –

Shall Bourbonnais be authorized to levy a municipal retailer’s tax, municipal service occupation tax and municipal use tax, each at a rate of 1%, for expenditures on municipal operations, public infrastructure and property tax relief?

Shall the limiting rate on the property tax for the Bourbonnais Fire Protection District be increased by an amount equivalent to .3732% in 2021 and to .8% in 2022 and 2023?

Kankakee –

Shall the city of Kankakee cease to be a home-rule unit?

Momence –

Shall members of the school board be elected at-large and without restriction by area of residence?

More information and exact ballot language can be found on the Kankakee County Clerk’s voter’s guide.

Kendall County:

Oswego –

Shall the Oswego Fire Protection District, in conjunction with Will and Kendall counties, be authorized to levy a new tax of 0.1% on taxable property to help fund emergency and rescue crews, equipment and other materials?

Full wording of the referendum can be found on the Kendall County Clerk’s website.

Lake County:

Antioch Township –

Shall Antioch Township borrow $16.5 million to build a township hall and a multi-purpose senior center?

Barrington –

Shall the village of Barrington become a home rule unit?

Lake Bluff –

Shall the Lake Bluff Park District turn Lake Bluff Golf Club into an open wetland and recreational area?

North Shore –

School District 112 is requesting permission to issue $114.4 million in bonds to help with a wide variety of construction and improvement projects within the district.

Vernon Township –

Voters will be asked to allow the township to levy an annual tax to help fund community mental health facilities and services.

More information can be found on the Lake County Clerk’s Office website.

LaSalle County:

No referendums were listed on the county clerk’s website.

McHenry County:

Alden-Hebron Consolidated School District –

Shall the school board in this district issue bonds to borrow $15.93 million to perform repairs and installations of new equipment in the district’s middle/high school building?

Dunham Township –

Shall the Dunham Township Road District be authorized to issue $1 million in bonds to help fund construction projects?

More information and precise ballot language can be found on the County Clerk’s website.

Will County:

Beecher –

Shall officials be authorized to issue $3.95 million in general obligation bonds?

Frankfort –

Shall the Frankfort Park District be allowed to increase its borrowing limiting rate?

Lockport –

Shall Lockport School District 91 be authorized to increase its borrowing limiting rate?

Oswego –

Shall the Oswego Fire Protection District, in conjunction with Will and Kendall counties, be authorized to levy a new tax of 0.1% on taxable property to help fund emergency and rescue crews, equipment and other materials?

Peotone –

Shall the Peotone Fire Protection District dissolve and be consolidated into the Manhattan Fire Protection District?

Steger Estates –

Shall the Steger Estates Fire Protection District be permitted to increase its borrowing limiting rate?

University Park –

Shall the park district of University Park be formed, and have an aggregate extension not to exceed $800,000 for the levy year of 2023?

A full list of Will County referendums and ballot questions can be found on the County Clerk’s website.