title
ORDINANCE TO PRESENT A PUBLIC QUESTION VIA COUNTYWIDE REFERENDUM
ABOLISHING THE OFFICE OF CORONER AND ESTABLISHING
THE OFFICE OF DUPAGE COUNTY MEDICAL EXAMINER
resolution
WHEREAS, DuPage County government continues to make concerted efforts to address current and future budgetary constraints by streamlining governmental operations, improving efficiency and eliminating redundancy in operations, among other measures; and
WHEREAS, Article VII, Section 4(c) of the Constitution of the State of Illinois states, "Any office may be created or eliminated and the terms of office and manner of selection by county-wide referendum ... "; and
WHEREAS, Article 28-2 of the Illinois Election Code (10 ILCS 28-2) provides that a County Board may adopt resolutions or ordinances which initiate the submission of public questions to the ballot; and
WHEREAS, taxpayers should have the opportunity to have input as to the functions of their government and use of their tax dollars; and
WHEREAS, allowing the voters of DuPage County the opportunity to determine the propriety of the abolition of the office of Coroner with the duties previously performed by the Coroner to be performed by an appointed Medical Examiner via a binding referendum is an opportunity to engage residents directly in our democratic process; and
WHEREAS, the DuPage County Board seeks to place a question before the electorate via referendum on the November 3, 2026 countywide ballot seeking to eliminate the office of the DuPage County Coroner and establish the appointed office of DuPage County Medical Examiner to perform the duties previously performed by the Coroner effective December 1, 2028.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by the County of DuPage, a unit of local government, by and through the DuPage County Board, as follows:
SECTION ONE: That the following binding referendum question be submitted to the qualified electors of the County of DuPage at the General Election to be held on November 3, 2026:
"Shall the Office of the DuPage County Coroner be eliminated and all duties and responsibilities of the DuPage County Coroner be transferred to and performed by an appointed medical examiner, effective December 1, 2028?
( ) YES
( ) NO
SECTION TWO: That the binding referendum question is authorized by the DuPage County Board and shall be submitted to the qualified electors of DuPage County at the General Election on November 3, 2026, in accordance with all applicable provisions of Illinois law.
SECTION THREE: That the County Clerk is hereby directed to certify said binding referendum in accordance with the Illinois Election Code.
SECTION FOUR: That the ballot to be used at the November 3, 2026 General Election, for the referendum question listed above shall be in substantially the same form as set forth in Section One herein, with such alterations, changes, insertions and deletions as are required by Article 24A of the Illinois Election Code, if an electronic, mechanical, or electric voting system is used in said election.
SECTION FIVE: That this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect immediately from and after passage and approval pursuant to law.
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Enacted and approved this 11th day of August, 2026 at Wheaton, Illinois.
________________________________
DEBORAH A. CONROY, CHAIR
DU PAGE COUNTY BOARD
Attest: ___________________________________
JEAN KACZMAREK, COUNTY CLERK