Sangamon Co. Board Member wants voters to weigh in on recall power

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) — There is only one office in all of Illinois politics that voters hold recall power over, and that is the Governor.

Sangamon County Board Member Sam Cahnman wants voters in Sangamon County to weigh in on whether recall should be a tool for other offices, too.

Cahnman wants the question to be on the ballot in November. His idea was inspired by the past couple weeks leading up to Sangamon County Sheriff Jack Campbell’s announcement that he would resign.

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Campbell tried to resist the calls to resign. If he had continued, in theory, he could have stayed in office until he was up for reelection in 2026. Outside of public pressure, there was no recourse that the public or the board could take. Although that public pressure led to Campbell’s resignation this time, Cahnman is worried about the next time.

“It still begs the questions of what to do with circumstances like this were to rise in the future if elected officials, if people lose confidence in him or her, and they refuse to resign,” Cahnman said.

Cahnman’s proposal would just be an advisory referendum, meaning no matter how many voters support the idea, no policy would be enacted. Instead, Cahnman wants it to be used to send a message to the state.

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