Redistrict Chicago Wards Fairly

Written By LWV Chicago

We’re calling on Chicago’s City Council to pass legislation empowering an independent commission to draw new ward maps in 2031. We support independent redistricting to achieve legislative districts that are compact and contiguous, maintaining and supporting ethnic, racial, and neighborhood groups.

Every ten years, the City Council has to legislate new ward maps based on population figures from the Census. Following the 2020 Census, we called on the City Council to engage in a mapping process that protects communities instead of incumbents.

The privately-funded Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission worked to create and advocate for its People's Map, created with community input. The Commission’s process for developing its map, including the criteria it aimed to meet, models how a legislated independent redistricting commission could operate. The City Council did not adopt the People’s Map or empower an independent commission in 2021, instead drawing its own ward boundaries.

Read Our Coverage of the 2021 Redistricting Process

Featured
Where in the Ward Are We?
Where in the Ward Are We?

The Chicago City Council on May 16 approved a city ward map that sets new ward boundaries for the next ten years.

Ward Redistricting on the Ballot?
Ward Redistricting on the Ballot?

Voters may be able to vote on the map that redraws boundaries for the city’s 50 wards—or not.

Coalitions and Community Groups Coalescing
Coalitions and Community Groups Coalescing

CHANGE Illinois and the People’s Map Commission have joined the City Council’s Latino Caucus to propose a redistricting map that includes 15 majority-Latino wards, 16 majority-Black wards and one majority-Asian American ward.

Citywide Redistricting: Still Shuffling
Citywide Redistricting: Still Shuffling

The Chicago City Council Rules Committee scheduled four public hearings about the Chicago Ward remap in January. One has already been held, and it raised concerns about public input.

Ward Redistricting Update
Ward Redistricting Update

The Chicago City Council has scheduled four hearings in January to give members of the public time to comment on proposed ward maps.

Redistricting: It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over
Redistricting: It Ain’t Over ‘til It’s Over

Hearings have begun in federal court on the suits challenging state redistricting maps. The Chicago City Council will hold hearings on proposed ward maps into January.

Redistricting Update
Redistricting Update

New maps have been passed for Illinois and for Cook County. The Chicago City Council weighs three different ward map proposals.

People’s Map Seeking City Council Support
People’s Map Seeking City Council Support

The Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission delivered its independently drawn city ward map to the City Clerk’s office on Monday, November 23.

League President’s Testimony on Redistricting
League President’s Testimony on Redistricting

Block Club Chicago quoted part of LWV Chicago President Anne Jamieson’s testimony before the City Council’s Rules Committee in its recent article about the redistricting process.

Fight for Fair Ward Maps
Fight for Fair Ward Maps

Chicago's City Council must legislate new ward maps based on population figures from the 2020 Census. Take action against gerrymandered wards that protect incumbents and fragment racial, ethnic and other communities of Chicago!

LWV Chicago Urges Support for Independent Commission’s Map of Chicago Wards
LWV Chicago Urges Support for Independent Commission’s Map of Chicago Wards

On October 26, LWV Chicago President Anne Jamieson wrote Michelle Harris, Chair, and other members of the Rules Committee to publish plans for redrawing the ward maps of the city of Chicago.

Your Chance to Comment on Ward Map Redistricting
Your Chance to Comment on Ward Map Redistricting

If ten alderpersons support the independent Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission’s final People’s Map, it would trigger a special election to allow Chicago voters to choose the ward redistricting map they want.

Redistricting Update
Redistricting Update

Get a first look at the People’s City Ward Map, as well as an update on the ward mapping process and Illinois US Congressional Redistricting.

Take Two: The Second Draft of Chicago Wards
Take Two: The Second Draft of Chicago Wards

The Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission has released its second ward map draft. Community members will have until October 1 to provide feedback on the draft map for commissioners to review and consider changes. 

Drawing City Maps Based on Demographics and Community Input
Drawing City Maps Based on Demographics and Community Input

Demographic data would lead to major shifts in city maps based on recent population increases and declines—but the City Council aren't likely to base new maps on them. What about the push for an independent map?

The Case for Independent Redistricting: Academics Weigh In
The Case for Independent Redistricting: Academics Weigh In

Three University of Illinois at Chicago professors make a strong case for taking Chicago ward redistricting out of the hands of politicians. In the past, maps drawn by the City Council were the norm.

Help Draw Chicago’s New Ward Map
Help Draw Chicago’s New Ward Map

Chicagoans interested in serving on an independent commission to redraw the city’s ward map need to submit an application online by April 9. The commission will create a map to compete with the one aldermen are expected to draw.

How Independent Redistricting Works in Austin, Texas
How Independent Redistricting Works in Austin, Texas

Having an independent commission redraw the city’s ward map—as a coalition led by CHANGE Illinois is promoting in Chicago—is unusual but not unheard of in this country. It worked in 2013 for Austin, Texas, which is about to repeat the process.

CHANGE Illinois Launches Effort to Create an Independent Advisory Redistricting Commission
CHANGE Illinois Launches Effort to Create an Independent Advisory Redistricting Commission

In cooperation with neighborhood organizations and good government groups, CHANGE Illinois will be creating the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission. “Our goal is to see an independent remapping commission that will reflect the core rich diversity of the city.”

What Gerrymandering Does to Neighborhoods: The Story of Englewood
What Gerrymandering Does to Neighborhoods: The Story of Englewood

No Chicago neighborhood has suffered more from municipal gerrymandering than Englewood. The largely African American community on the South Side has been divided among six wards since the 1970s and has never had a single alderman.

Drawing the City’s Ward Maps: Here’s How It’s Done
Drawing the City’s Ward Maps: Here’s How It’s Done

“Opaque,” “confusing,” “obscure”: the descriptions of Chicago’s decennial ward remapping tell how the process has appeared to the average citizen. Since knowing the rules may lessen confusion, we’ll try to explain the procedure.

Who Should Draw the City’s Ward Map?
Who Should Draw the City’s Ward Map?

CHANGE Illinois and other groups are planning to create an independent commission to draw the next Chicago ward map even if aldermen draw their own map.

First Steps toward an Independent Redistricting Commission
First Steps toward an Independent Redistricting Commission

CHANGE Illinois is spearheading the development of the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission, whose goal is to create a transparent ward map centered on and drawn by residents.

Chicago’s 50 Wards: How Weird Are They?
Chicago’s 50 Wards: How Weird Are They?

Chicago’s 50 wards are stretched and twisted into tortured shapes, a not-surprising result of being drawn by politicians to serve their interests. If we have our way, the next map will be drawn by an independent citizens’ commission.

How’d We Get This Way? A History of Chicago’s Ward System
How’d We Get This Way? A History of Chicago’s Ward System

With 50 aldermen representing 50 wards, Chicago’s City Council is unusually large among major US cities. There have been proposals over the years to reduce the number of wards or even eliminate the ward system.

Letting Chicago Residents Redraw Ward Maps
Letting Chicago Residents Redraw Ward Maps

The boundaries of Chicago’s 50 wards will be redrawn to reflect population changes shown in the 2020 census. CHANGE Illinois executive director Madeleine Doubek talks about what is at stake and how Chicago residents can get involved.

Mapping the City
Mapping the City

The competing interests of politicians, racial and ethnic groups, and neighborhoods are likely to make for a contentious process to redraw the boundaries of Chicago’s 50 wards after the 2020 census data arrive.

LWV Chicago
Previous

Reinstate the Department of Environment
Next

Fund the Forest Preserves