Elmhurst, Villa Park and Oakbrook Terrace residents could face a new question as early as the Nov. 3 ballot: should DuPage County scrap its elected coroner and replace the office with an appointed medical examiner?

The DuPage County Board approved the referendum ordinance Tuesday, Aug. 11, clearing the way for a countywide vote on whether to abolish the Office of Coroner and establish a new Office of DuPage County Medical Examiner. The resolution, listed as item 9.A. on the board's agenda, carries the file number CB-R-0041-26.

The change is significant. If voters approve it, the coroner would no longer be chosen at the polls. Instead, the board chair would appoint a medical examiner, subject to confirmation by the full board. Under state law, that appointee must be a physician with board certifications in forensic pathology. Current coroners in Illinois face no such requirement; autopsies are at times outsourced to an independent pathologist.

The shift would not reflect on current Coroner Judith Lukas. Board Chair Deborah Conroy said at the board's June 23 discussion, according to NCTV17's reporting, that Lukas meets all qualifications required under state statute.

How the proposal reached the ballot

Board member James Zay of District 6 introduced the idea during new business at the June 23 meeting, framing it as part of a broader push to modernize county offices.

"This is not new talk. We've talked about eliminating, or combining, the recorder in the clerk's office. We've talked about eliminating the auditor's office," Zay said at the June 23 meeting, as reported by NCTV17 on July 8.

Board member Cindy Cronin Cahill of District 1 supported the concept at the same session, telling the board that professional credentials matter for the role, much as she believes the county auditor should be a CPA. Her comments were also reported by NCTV17.

Illinois law requires voter approval for a county to make this switch because DuPage County is not a home rule county. Cook County is the only county in the state that currently uses a medical examiner system. As a home rule county, Cook County did not need a voter referendum to make the change.

What happens next

The county's next general election is Nov. 3, according to the DuPage County Election Division. That is the earliest date the referendum question could appear on the ballot, though the DuPage County Clerk must still certify the question.

Every registered voter in DuPage County would weigh in, including residents of Elmhurst, Villa Park and Oakbrook Terrace.