While not the high profile California initiatives like Proposition 13 or more recently Proposition 22, voter-initiated referenda can make a difference

Earlier this month as reported on McHenry County Blog, a voter-initiated binding referendum petition was filed with the Algonquin Township Clerk with nearly 100 more signatures over the minimum:

While the proponents of Algonquin Township’s dissolution referendum filed their petition nearly a month early (and with objection pending), the deadline to file a voter-initiated referendum petition for the April 6 election is Monday, January 4.

REFERENDA – PETITION FILING
Last day for filing petitions (must contain original sheets signed by voters and circulators) for referenda for the submission of questions of public policy (local). (10 ILCS 5/28-2(a), 28-6, 28-7)

Exception: Proposition to create a political subdivision, referenda held under the provisions of Article IX of the Liquor Control Act, and Section 18-120 of the Property Tax Code.

2021 Election & Campaign Finance Calendar Issued by the
Illinois State Board of Elections, August 2020 , page 28

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At this late stage, with just over a week until January 4, depending on the signature requirements, with precision and planning, proponents of other referenda petitions can collect signatures from registered voters in the remaining days of 2020 and very early 2021.

Early January of 2021 has exciting dates going into the new year, including:

• January 3: Swearing-in of the 117th Congress with formal election of Nancy Pelosi to her 4th and final term as Speaker of the House
• January 5: Georgia U.S. Senate runoffs to determine control of the U.S. Senate, with Democrats needing a sweep (and their two candidates combined raised over $200 million in a 2-month period ending December 16)
• January 6: Joint session of the U.S. Congress to officially and legally certify the Electoral College election of the President and Vice President of the United States taking place December 14, 2020
• January 13: Swearing-in of the 102nd Illinois General Assembly with Governor J.B. Pritzker opening the Illinois Senate until the election of Don Harmon as Senate President, and Secretary of State Jesse White opening and presiding the Illinois House of Representatives until the election of ? ? ? as Illinois House Speaker (and some say that could take days/weeks)

While events in Washington, Georgia and Springfield unfold, the local elections of 2021 campaigns will begin in earnest, especially with contested races in Republican primaries in Algonquin, Grafton and Dundee townships, and a Democrat primary in Dundee Township. These primaries will take place on February 23.

Supporters of candidates in those campaigns could conceivably get the word out about their candidate(s), and collect petition signatures to jump-start the campaigns for February and meet the January 4 filing deadline for a referendum on April 6.

There are limits to referendum questions voters can initiate. Locally, voters cannot initiate the following referenda due to Illinois law preventing a referendum question being presented to voters within two years after a previous referendum:

• Township Dissolution in McHenry and Nunda townships, due to failure in each township of a dissolution referendum in March
• Municipal clerk conversions from elected to appointed in the City of McHenry and the Village of Algonquin, due to failure of the respective referenda in the two municipalities in November

With research, planning and most important, volunteers, if there are local issues to address through a voter-initiated referendum permittable by Illinois law, go for it.