Indiana is making an initial move towards potentially acquiring sections of Illinois, although finalizing such a change remains improbable. Recently, Indiana’s Legislature approved a bill establishing the Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission. This commission is tasked with recommending whether the border between the two states should be altered. This development comes amid efforts by residents in some Illinois counties to distance themselves from the Chicago area.
Governor Mike Braun of Indiana, a Republican, intends to enact this measure into law. Following this, he faces a deadline of September 1 to organize the commission’s first meeting. However, any alteration of state boundaries requires consent from both Illinois and the U.S. Congress. Currently, leading officials in Illinois oppose the proposal. A corresponding bill that would enable Illinois to participate in the border adjustment commission has not yet been addressed by an Illinois House committee. Earlier this year, Democratic Governor J.B. Pritzker of Illinois dismissed the Indiana initiative as a “stunt.”
While minor boundary adjustments between states are relatively common, with at least 50 recorded instances throughout U.S. history, significant changes have not occurred since the Civil War era. During that time, some Virginia counties separated to form West Virginia. The current initiative involving Illinois and Indiana is fueled by political and urban-rural tensions. The Democratic Party dominates the Chicago area and subsequently controls the state government, whereas Republicans have a strong presence in other regions of Illinois and control the government in Indiana.
Over the past five years, voters in 33 counties in Illinois have approved ballot measures to explore the possibility of separating from Cook County, home to Chicago, to establish a new state. However, this does not necessarily imply a desire to join Indiana. A similar sentiment is observed in eastern Oregon, where some counties aspire to break away from the Democratic-led state and join Republican-led Idaho. The Idaho House passed a proposal two years ago inviting Oregon to engage in discussions, although similar initiatives remain stalled in Oregon’s legislative committees.