Orland Township — Citizen Initiatives (Cook County)
Ballot measure · November 3, 2026 · Only voters in this district
Election night: live results from the official election site. Counts are unofficial until certified.
- What it does
- Shall voters in municipalities of Orland Township have the initiative right to propose ordinances by voter petition and to enact those ordinances by voter referendum?
- A YES vote means
- Advisory only: records support for letting voters in Orland Township municipalities propose ordinances by petition and enact them by referendum. The result does not itself create that right.
- A NO vote means
- Advisory only: records opposition to a citizen initiative process. The result does not change any law.
- Needed to pass
- A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
- Left–right lean
- Not a left–right issue: a procedural or local question that liberals and conservatives don't typically split on (AI read of the official ballot summary).
Explained
Today
- Orland Township residents elect a township board and can take part in the township's annual town meeting each April, where, a township trustee says, residents can direct the board.
- The ballot question asks about a citizen initiative, meaning voters could write a proposed ordinance, collect petition signatures and put it on the ballot for voters to enact. The question says this would apply in the municipalities within Orland Township.
- The township supervisor told the Daily Southtown the question is advisory and nonbinding.
If it passes
- This is an advisory question: the result records voters' opinion and does not itself create an initiative process or change any law, according to township officials quoted by the Daily Southtown.
- A 'yes' majority would signal support for letting voters propose ordinances by petition and enact them by referendum; a 'no' majority would signal opposition.
- The ballot question does not describe how such an initiative process would be created or by whom.
Who would notice
Voters in Orland Township in Cook County. No tax or spending is involved.
How it got here
Resident David Karpinski raised the idea at the township's April 2025 annual town meeting, and attendees at the 2026 annual town meeting voted 8-5 to place it on the ballot, according to the Daily Southtown. It was meant for the March 2026 primary but missed the Cook County filing deadline and was moved to November. The township has not posted annual town meeting minutes online, so this account comes from news reporting rather than an official record.
What each side says
Supporters
- The question's proponent says it will show whether residents want a more direct role in local government and hopes it encourages more young people to vote in local elections, as national politics feels more partisan and alienating.
Opponents
- Residents already have enough influence by electing the township board and through the annual town meeting, where they can direct the board.
In the news
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Also on Cook County ballots
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- Northfield Township — Waste, Refuse and Recycling Services
- Northfield Township — Abolish Road District
- Schaumburg Township — Abolish Road District
- Dolton Park District — Increase Limiting Rate
- Skokie Park District — Issue Bonds
- Hometown Fire Protection District — Increase Limiting Rate
- Palos Heights Fire Protection District — New Tax Rate
- City of Chicago (proposed Mid-Northside Expanded Mental Health Services Program Area) — Mid-Northside Expanded Mental Health Services
- City of Chicago (proposed Mid-Northside Expanded Mental Health Services Program Area) — 2027 Property Tax Extension - Mid-Northside Expanded Mental Health Services
- City of Chicago (proposed Far Southwest Side Expanded Mental Health Services Program Area) — Far Southwest Side Expanded Mental Health Services
- City of Chicago (proposed Far Southwest Side Expanded Mental Health Services Program Area) — 2027 Property Tax Extension - Far Southwest Side Expanded Mental Health Services
Quick answers
- What does a YES vote on Orland Township mean?
- Advisory only: records support for letting voters in Orland Township municipalities propose ordinances by petition and enact them by referendum. The result does not itself create that right.
- What does a NO vote on Orland Township mean?
- Advisory only: records opposition to a citizen initiative process. The result does not change any law.
- If 'yes' wins, can residents start proposing ordinances right away?
- No. The township supervisor said the question is advisory and nonbinding, so it gauges opinion without creating a petition process.
- Why is the wording a little unclear?
- Supervisor Paul O'Grady said he found the wording 'a little confusing,' but village attorneys advised that it could not be changed because the question is advisory.
- Does this cost taxpayers anything?
- The ballot question involves no tax, levy or spending.
- How many votes does Orland Township need to pass?
- A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.
- Should I vote yes or no on Orland Township?
- SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.
- When is the vote?
- The general election is Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Early voting and mail-ballot deadlines vary by state; check your state or county election office.
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