Bye Illinois: Here's Why 33 Illinois Counties May Join Indiana

I'm sure that you're paying attention to the latest news each day, but have you heard of the “Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission?" If not, you probably will in the very near future.

The Indiana-Illinois Boundary Adjustment Commission is the result of legislation recently passed by the Indiana Senate (having already cleared the Indiana House) to redraw Indiana state lines to absorb 33 Illinois counties that have recently passed non-binding referendums to split from Illinois. That legislation is now headed to the desk of Indiana governor Mike Braun to be signed into law.

If it ends up happening, Illinois' number of counties will be reduced from our current total of 102 down to 69.

Illinois' current 102 counties. (Getty Images)

There Are Definitely A Whole Bunch Of Hoops To Jump Through To Make This Happen, And It Won't Be Easy

It's not like Illinois residents have suddenly developed an affinity for Indiana, because looking at the numbers, over 100,000 Illinoisans have already moved to Indiana since 2021. Many of them because of their feelings about the oversized clout enjoyed by Cook County and the collar counties around it.

To get a deal put together that would allow these 33 Illinois counties to become part of Indiana is going to require several things to happen, according to a report at Fox32Chicago.com:

Both the Indiana and Illinois legislatures would need to pass bills approving the change.
A commission would be formed to work out the logistics of shifting state boundaries.
Both states would have to approve the commission’s report.
Congress would need to sign off on the proposal.

Illinois' governor calls all of this a "stunt that isn't going to happen."

Getty Images

Here Are The Illinois Counties That Are Looking To Leave Illinois

Keep in mind that not all of the 33 counties on the following list want to become part of Indiana. Some want to band together to form our 51st state instead of joining another state.