(11-11-24) Sent to the Mercer County Outlook in response to our posting –POLITICS: Is Illinois A Blue State?

Dear Mercer County Outlook:

Thank you for your interest in and coverage of the movement for the 51st state. I would like to share some relevant information. 

First, there are TWO separate and distinct state split groups in Illinois – New Illinois and Illinois Separation Referendum. Each of the groups has the same end goal, of a new state separate from the State of Illinois. However, the groups have completely different activities. The referendum is the project of Illinois Separation Referendum, not New Illinois. 

When you said the population of Chicago “easily outweighs the rest of the state,” this is far from accurate. Chicago has 21% of the state’s population. Cook County, including Chicago, has 40%. The other 101 counties collectively have 60% of the population. The goal of the state split movement is to include as much of the other 101 counties as possible in a new state.

Prior to Tuesday, 26 Illinois counties had already passed this Illinois Separation’s referendum, bringing the total to 33 counties. The number 21 was an error in a WGN article last week. 

You stated that the Republican vs Democrat voting is what “led to an organization called New Illinois pursuing the formation of a new state.” Not so.

For the record, New Illinois is a nonpartisan organization addressing not a Democrat vs Republican divide, but an urban vs rural, small town, and suburban divide. This is not a party issue; rather, it is a process issue. 

In 1964, the US Supreme Court ruled in Reynolds v Sims that state legislative districts could no longer have any geographic basis. At the time, most states used the “little federal system,” where the House of Representatives was by population and the Senate was by county. At the time, one of Illinois’ US Senators, Everett Dirksen warned that in every state with a sizeable city, this ruling would cause all power of state government to be absorbed into that city. He was right, and this is what happened, and consequently this movement is happening in several states, not just Illinois. 

You quote Governor Pritzker’s statement from last May, where he continues to mischaracterize what we are seeking to do. We are not seeking to kick another place (Chicago/Cook County) out of Illinois. We are trying to kick OURSELVES out of Illinois. Chicago, Cook County, and any other areas that wanted to stay in the State of Illinois would be free to do what they wanted. 

Finally, please don’t describe what we are doing as secession. Neither New Illinois nor Illinois Separation ever use that word because that is NOT what we are doing. We are following a legal, constitutional process that is quite different. Article IV, Sec. 3 of the U.S. Constitution provides the process for the creation of a new state. 

While success is not guaranteed, the odds aren’t as high as you might think. The American colonists took on the greatest military power of their time and won. The Solidarity Movement in Poland, over the course of a few years, was able to free themselves from a communist government without a civil war. The key to the success of our movement for a new state is the support of the people. As you have seen, in every one of the 33 counties that has had Illinois Separation’s referendum on their ballot, it has won. Thirty-two were by a landslide of from 63-83%, and Madison county won by 10 points.

Again, thanks for your interest in and coverage of our movement. If you have any questions, please feel free to call or email. 

G. H. Merritt, Chairman 
New Illinois 
(847)
www.NewIllinoisState.org