A lopsided battle is shaping up over the La Salle County Forest Preserve District — petitioners in nine townships are looking to vote to leave the district and two are looking to rejoin it.

On Thursday, Larry De Brito filed petitions in La Salle County Circuit Court to have a referendum put on the Feb. 2 ballot to have Serena Township voters decide whether they want their township to rejoin the district. In April, a majority of voters chose to abandon the district. Petitions were also filed earlier in October for a similar referendum in Fall River Township.

On Friday, Greg DeLay and Frederick C. Mende had petitions filed through attorney Paul V. Martin to put a referendum on the ballot for Meriden Township voters to withdraw from the district.Last week the way was cleared for eight other townships to have ballots to leave the district. With Meriden's inclusion, only two other townships remained in the district as of Tuesday, but without petitions having been filed for a referendum: Bruce and South Ottawa.

Court hearings are to be held to determine if the petitions meet legal requirements; if so, the referendums would be on the ballot. There are 37 townships in the county.