WOODSTOCK – McHenry County’s chief judge certified a binding referendum that will ask voters whether to change to an executive form of county government.

Judge Michael Sullivan’s ruling Wednesday puts the referendum on the Nov. 6 ballot. Under an executive form of government, voters elect their county board representatives by district, as they do now, but also elect an executive at large to run the county’s day-to-day operations.

State Rep. Jack Franks, D-Marengo, said he filed the petition for the referendum after repeated, unsuccessful efforts to persuade the McHenry County Board to allow the chairman to be elected by the people, rather than by a majority of the 24-member board.