Indiana is making initial moves to potentially alter its border with Illinois, though a final resolution appears uncertain. Recently, the Indiana Legislature approved the creation of the Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission. This body will explore the possibility of adjusting the boundary between the two states, which stems from interest among some Illinois counties seeking to distance themselves from the Chicago metropolitan area.
Governor Mike Braun of Indiana intends to sign the bill into law, according to his spokesperson. Braun will have until September 1 to convene the commission’s first meeting. However, any boundary modification would also require authorization from both Illinois and the U.S. Congress, posing significant hurdles. Illinois’ key political figures have expressed opposition, and a related bill that would enable Illinois to join the commission has not yet been discussed in an Illinois House committee. Earlier this year, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker dismissed the Indiana initiative as merely a political maneuver.
While minor state boundary changes have occurred over 50 times in U.S. history, major adjustments have not been seen since the Civil War era, when certain Virginia counties formed West Virginia. The current interest in changing the boundary between Indiana and Illinois is fueled by political and geographic divisions. The Democratic Party dominates the Chicago area and holds sway in the state government, whereas Republicans govern many of the more rural parts of Illinois, as well as Indiana.
Over the past five years, voters in 33 Illinois counties have supported measures to consider separating from Cook County, home to Chicago, potentially forming a new state. However, this does not necessarily imply a preference to merge with Indiana. A related movement exists in eastern Oregon, where some counties wish to separate from their Democratic-led state and join Republican-led Idaho. The Idaho House approved a measure to initiate discussions with Oregon two years ago, but similar proposals have stalled in the Oregon Legislature.
