Judge Tosses Rantoul Referendum Off Ballot –

Champaign Co., IL. (ECWd) –

Champaign Circuit Court issued an Order overturning the Rantoul Electoral Board’s Decision and tossed the Rantoul Referendum off the ballot during Judicial Review.

It was a citizen initiated referendum to eliminate Village Trustee election by District.

The language in the Municipal Code in question was purely “at which point does the four years operating the village with trustees elected in districts start?”

Referendum believed it started at the point the referendum to elect trustees by district, instead of at-large, was passed by the voters. Objectors believed the four year time started when the trustees which were elected by district actually took office.

The Court determined the referendum was premature.

“For the foregoing reasons, the court determines that Workman’s public question offends Illinois Municipal Code Provisions 65 ILCS 5/3.1-25-85 and 65 ILCS 5/3.1-25-75, meaning that the question is premature and the objection of Anderson and Golston must be sustained. Accordingly, the decision of the Village of Rantoul Electoral Board is reversed. Owing to this ruling, petitioners’ emergency application for a stay of the Electoral Board’s ruling is denied as moot.”

We will update this article after reviewing the entire Order.

Electoral Board Hearing Video Jan 17, 2023:
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Judicial Review Hearing Video Feb 2, 2023:

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