Voters give Glencoe go-ahead to become a home-rule unit

The Village of Glencoe now has more independence thanks to local voters.

With all six precincts reporting, according to Cook County election results, approximately 63% of voters gave Glencoe the go-ahead to become a home-rule unit of government, a status the Village has tried to achieve for decades. Results are not official until certified.

“As we look at those numbers, we’re feeling positive about it,” Village Manager Phil Kiraly said. “I think the work that was done to help residents understand what home rule meant seems to have settled well and we are grateful for that.

“We think that it’s a statement there is a lot of trust in what Glencoe government provides and we intend to maintain that level of trust; so it’s a good evening.”

The Village of Glencoe held four information sessions regarding home-rule status, giving presentations and answering questions leading up to the election.

Kiraly said residents from all walks of life participated in the sessions and he praised the community for a willingness to learn more about home rule.

“Glencoe is a community of people who care, community of people who participate and show up and learn and listen based on information presented to them,” he said. “It’s gratifying to us to see the participation in the process.”

In Illinois, municipalities can achieve home-rule status by either obtaining a population of at least 25,000 residents — Glencoe’s 2020 census population was 8,723 — or by successfully passing a local referendum. 

Home-rule status allows greater flexibility for a municipality to govern locally. Home-rule units can perform any action that is not directly prohibited by state or federal law, while non-home-rule communities must follow all mandates from state and county government.

Kiraly said the Village does not have any immediate plans to change under the new status, which will become official once election results are certified. The village even prepared its 2025 budget without assuming home-rule authority, Kiraly said.

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