Remap Effort Underway for Chicago's Wards
In March, CHANGE Illinois, community and civic organizations, and good government advocates announced their support for a Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission. They contend that the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission will help create a “people’s map.”
According to the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission’s website, the goal of this commission is to create and support a community-led-and-driven ward remap process that will strive to keep neighborhoods whole as much as possible. Through this process, Chicago’s advisory commission will be a model upholding racial equity and engagement, as well as best practices for independent redistricting nationwide.
The Commission will be a resident-based group that adheres to independent redistricting principles to follow and best practices’ training, hire a mapper/demographer, and support a hearing process that is done openly and centered on Chicagoans. The commission will be made up of 13 people who will be tasked with producing a map that reduces the splintering of neighborhoods as much as possible, engages communities historically marginalized, and upholds accepted independent mapping principles, including maximizing opportunities for communities of color to elect aldermen of their choosing.
The Commission’s map could be introduced into the City Council. If it garners enough support, it may go before voters. Applications are available at CHANGE Illinois.