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. “Such plans should include the publication of draft ward maps with at least two weeks’ notice including public hearings before final maps are adopted,” she wrote.

On behalf of LWV Chicago, Pres. Jamieson urged that the mayor and city council “depart from Chicago’s long history of gerrymandered districts that too often fail to serve the interests of Chicago’s many and diverse neighborhoods. Publication of plans, publication of draft maps, a period for public hearings and public comments before the final vote would indicate a new approach to ward mapping.”

Since the City Council was considering the budget for 2022 at the time, Pres. Jamieson suggested that the City Council use the map proposed by the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission as a starting point and draft from which the Council could work to meet its legislated deadline of December 1.

“The League of Women Voters has long favored independent map drawing processes. The Mayor and some members of the Council have also spoken in favor processes less driven by partisan and incumbent considerations. This year, Change Illinois and the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission made a good start at modeling what an independent redistricting commission could look like. The Commission's meetings and materials were always public, many hearings were held, and the public had nearly a month’s input before a map was adopted by the Commission. What is lacking is the authority of law.”

“Using the map proposed by the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission as a starting place in no way diminishes the Council’s authority in the 2021 mapping process. Rather it allows the community and the Council to comment and change this proposed map in any way it deems appropriate.”