Prairie State Wire

Shannon McClurg, a community petition organizer in Effingham, Illinois, announced that a petition has successfully exceeded the required signature threshold to oppose a bond measure. This statement was made on the Prairie State Wire Podcast.

"The community had 30 days to get 1,382 signatures, which is 10% of our voters," said McClurg, Sales Associate Secretary. "And if we got that and turned them in correctly, and I don't think people understand that you have to turn them in in a certain way. We got over 2,800 signatures on each petition."

Illinois has faced growing controversy over "backdoor bond" measures, which allow school districts to borrow without direct voter approval unless challenged by petition. In 2024, state lawmakers passed Public Act 103-0591, permitting districts to issue bonds for early childhood construction without triggering referendums. According to Wirepoints, residents in Effingham attempted to block such borrowing but were thwarted by the new law, which they argue reduces public control over debt decisions.

In a recent Effingham County case, residents submitted 2,855 signatures on one petition and 2,814 on another to force a referendum on school bond borrowing. The Bond Buyer reported that both petitions exceeded the thresholds typical for such challenges but were nullified due to changes in state law. Petitioners claimed they met the required percentage of registered voters, but their effort was dismissed following Governor Pritzker’s signing of the 2024 amendment.

Illinois voters have approved the majority of school bond referendums in recent cycles despite legislative efforts to bypass them. According to the Illinois Association of School Boards, in the November 2024 election, 13 out of 20 bond measures passed, while in April 2025, 10 of 16 passed. This suggests that when referendums occur, voters often support school borrowing, casting doubt on the need to limit petition-triggered votes.

McClurg is a sales associate and community petition organizer in Effingham. As reported by The Bond Buyer, she helped collect thousands of signatures to oppose school district bond plans in 2024. Her professional background includes work at The Automall of Effingham and her LinkedIn profile lists her as a University of Illinois alumna. She has no publicly confirmed government role beyond her advocacy efforts.