Cronin Making Moves to Dissolve Election Commission

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A local lawmaker is pushing for a new referendum on next spring’s ballot.

DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin is proposing that the DuPage County Election Commission be dissolved – a matter he’d like to put forth to voters in a referendum.

Senate Bill 1592, which would move elections to the jurisdiction of the County Clerk’s Office and create a bipartisan oversight board, made its way through the Senate, but stalled in the house. With potential cost savings in the balance, Cronin doesn’t want to wait for the assembly to move on it.

“We’re looking at an additional $300,000 savings to taxpayers,” said Cronin. “We’ve already realized, and can document, $3 million. We’re talking about $300,000 on top of that in the near term. Ultimately I think if we do end up simply folding the operation to the clerk’s office without the oversight, there would be additional savings.”

A referendum on the spring ballot could accomplish the dissolution of the board, but additional legislation would need to be put in place to create the five-member oversight board.

To get the question on the March ballot, it needs to be approved by the county board by this winter.

Cronin is still considering whether to make the referendum binding or non-binding.