With the release of the 2020 census data comes the start of redistricting.
Quick preview of what a ward remap would look like/mean to the City:
https://www.chicagobusiness.com/government/whats-really-stake-chicagos-ward-remap
The official census data will be released Aug 12.
This will help inform the final map.
By Aug 23 all staff will have data.
Sept 8 is when staff has to propose a revised map.
Changes may be incorporated into the map to be voted upon Sept 22
Jessi F is the first public speaker:
They’re a Humboldt Park, 8th district, activist.
They’re saddened that the East park of HP may be removed from the 8th district and feels it will erase the hard work Puerto Rican residents have done in that community
Jose L is the next public speaker:
He wants to make sure equity is insured for Latinx residents in that district.
He echos Jessi F’s feeling that the work done with state legislature to bring equity to that community will be undone
Melissa L is the next speaker:
Principal at a Humboldt Park alternative school.
She speaks to the need for stability as far as food access, mental health resources, violent prevention, and educational enrichment.
She feels redistributing will marginalize those efforts
Registered speakers have wrapped.
Now on to the Framework map presentation.
Growth in population along the Lakefront and in the North, and a decrease in population in the South and West Side has occurred since 2012 according to data.
The suburbs have experienced the same; South and West suburbs have declined in growth with North suburbs have expanded
The loss of Black population in certain districts correlates with their overall decrease in population.
In other areas, they saw a decrease in Black population but an increase in overall population
A WBEZ report shows a similar flow of minority populations out, White populations in, happening in Logan Square
There is also data on the voting age and districting. More info on that here
https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census/about/voting-rights/cvap.html
They’re speaking a lot about “balancing” out districts as far as race and voting population.
Activists have questioned how that can be done equitably.
Here is a possible solution by Change Illinois:
https://www.changeil.org/policy-priorities/redistricting-reform/chicago-redistricting/
Districts play a huge part in politics and voting.
This WBEZ report highlights it well:
A written statement by South Holland Mayor advocates for Commissioner Miller to remain their 6th district commissioner
David G from Chicago Heights writes in in support of redistricting.
Economic growth and improved quality of life is noted as a potential benefit of map redistricting
Here is a population change map from 2019- https://www.cmap.illinois.gov/updates/all/-/asset_publisher/UIMfSLnFfMB6/content/population-growth-and-decline-is-occurring-unevenly-across-the-region
An updated map should be published in the future
Chairs remind folks that the proposed redistricting lines are not hard and fast.
They acknowledge that not everyone is going to be happy with the results but that it’s about compromise
Talks about transparency with
Number and line drawing is being had among commissioners.
This is not the first time: https://news.wttw.com/2021/07/13/city-council-start-drawing-new-maps-july-26-behind-closed-doors
Lots of talk happening about transparency with numbers and legality of slicing districts among commissioners.
This convo is also happening in federal court:
https://www.bnd.com/news/politics-government/article252785363.html
Commissioners must have their propose map drawn and submitted by Sept 8, 2021