Highland Park council signals support to pursue referendum on municipal term limits, asks staff for options

City staff briefed the Council of the Whole on May 11 about legal and procedural steps to adopt municipal term limits, and council members discussed whether the council should initiate a voter referendum.

Megan Cherry, speaking for staff, summarized corporation‑counsel guidance: Illinois law requires any municipal term limits to be approved by referendum and such limits operate prospectively (they "do not take effect for the terms you are currently serving"). She walked council members through deadlines for placing a referendum: to be on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot the council would need to adopt a resolution or ordinance by Aug. 16, 2026; for the April 6, 2027 consolidated election the deadline is Jan. 17, 2027. Staff also reported outreach to 17 neighboring communities (15 responses): among them four have informal term limits and four have formal limits; Skokie enacted term limits in 2024.

Council discussion divided along familiar policy lines. One council member argued the measure advances inclusion and rotation in office, saying structural change can open paths for new, diverse candidates. That council member framed term limits as "an inclusion, response" and urged the council to lead by placing a resolution on a November ballot so turnout would be maximized. By contrast, another council member opposed term limits on principle and argued they restrict voter choice and remove experienced officials who provide institutional memory and intergovernmental seniority; that speaker recounted long tenures of previous council members as an institutional strength.

Several members favored placing a council‑initiated referendum on the Nov. 3, 2026 ballot while deferring specifics (two vs. three terms, consecutive vs. cumulative, treatment of partial appointments) to staff and a subsequent Committee of the Whole for a detailed policy recommendation. Points of technical uncertainty council members asked staff to resolve included whether to measure term limits as consecutive or cumulative, how to treat partial appointed terms (for example, whether appointments under 25 months count), and whether term limits for mayor and council should be identical.

No ordinance or referendum language was adopted on May 11. The mayor summarized council sentiment as leaning to authorize staff to prepare options and possibly a resolution for a November referendum; staff were asked to return with drafting alternatives and legal options in time to meet the August filing deadline if the council wishes to proceed.