WOODSTOCK – McHenry County Board members have gathered enough signatures to force a special meeting to decide whether to seek an April referendum that would ask voters whether they want to directly elect the board chairman.

The faction submitted a petition at Tuesday evening’s board meeting to County Clerk Katherine Schultz with the signatures of 11 of the board’s 24 members. Eight signatures are needed under board rules to call a special meeting.

The move comes a day after the board’s Management Services Committee discussed, but did not move forward with, putting a referendum on the ballot, and one week before the Jan. 22 deadline to do so. Currently, the board chairman is chosen by the 24-member board after each November election.