Illinois's congressional districts explained

Illinois is divided into 17 congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives. The majority of Illinois' districts are located in the Chicago area.

The Illinois General Assembly has the primary responsibility of redrawing congressional district lines following each decennial census. The governor of Illinois has the power to veto proposed congressional district maps, but the General Assembly has the power to override the veto, with the support of 3/5ths of both chambers. In 1971, 1981, and 1991, the General Assembly was unable to come to an agreement, and the map was drawn up by a panel of three federal judges chosen by Democrats and Republicans.[1] [2]

In 2001, the General Assembly was again unable to reach an agreement, and the task of redrawing district boundaries was given to the Illinois congressional delegation. With unified Democratic control of the General Assembly and governor's office during the 2011 and 2021 redistricting cycles, Democrats have been able to redistrict without input from Republicans, leading to districts gerrymandered to favor the Democratic Party.[3]

In the 2022 midterm elections, per the 2020 United States census, Illinois lost a congressional seat.[4] From a high of 27 congressional seats apportioned to Illinois following the 1910 and 1930 censuses, the state has lost one to two seats in every re-apportionment cycle since 1940, with the exception of the cycle following the 1970 census.

Current districts and representatives

List of members of the United States House delegation from Illinois, their terms, district maps, and the district political ratings according to the CPVI. The delegation in the 118th United States Congress has a total of 17 members, with 14 Democrats and 3 Republicans as of 2023.

Current U.S. representatives from Illinois
DistrictMember
[5]
Partydata-sort-type="date" Incumbent sincedata-sort-type="number" CPVI
[6]
District map
data-sort-value="Jackson, Jonathan"
Jonathan Jackson
January 3, 2023
data-sort-value="Kelly, Robin"
Robin Kelly
April 11, 2013
data-sort-value="Ramirez, Delia"
Delia Ramirez
January 3, 2023
data-sort-value="García, Chuy"
Chuy García
January 3, 2019
data-sort-value="Quigley, Mike"
Mike Quigley
April 7, 2009
data-sort-value="Casten, Sean"
Sean Casten
January 3, 2019
data-sort-value="Davis, Danny"
Danny Davis
January 3, 1997
data-sort-value="Krishnamoorthi, Raja"
Raja Krishnamoorthi
January 3, 2017
data-sort-value="Schakowsky, Jan"
Jan Schakowsky
January 3, 1999
data-sort-value="Schneider, Brad"
Brad Schneider
January 3, 2017
data-sort-value="Foster, Bill"
Bill Foster
January 3, 2013
data-sort-value="Bost, Mike"
Mike Bost
January 3, 2015
data-sort-value="Budzinski, Nikki"
Nikki Budzinski
January 3, 2023
data-sort-value="Underwood, Lauren"
Lauren Underwood
January 3, 2019
data-sort-value="Miller, Mary"
Mary Miller
January 3, 2021
data-sort-value="LaHood, Darin"
Darin LaHood
September 10, 2015
data-sort-value="Sorensen, Eric"
Eric Sorensen
January 3, 2023

Historical and present district boundaries

Table of United States congressional district boundary maps in the State of Illinois, presented chronologically.[7] All redistricting events that took place in Illinois from statehood in 1818 to 2013 are shown. During the periods of 1863-1873, 1893-1895, and 1903-1948, voters in Illinois elected an additional one to two at-large representatives.

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Illinois . 2024-04-18 . The American Redistricting Project.
  2. Web site: 2021-04-19 . A guide to political redistricting in Illinois . 2024-04-18 . Chicago Tribune . en-US.
  3. Web site: Redistricting Report Card . 2024-04-18 . gerrymander.princeton.edu . en.
  4. News: Census Bureau announces 331 million people in US, Texas will add two congressional seats. CNN. Merica. Dan. Stark. Liz. April 26, 2021. April 26, 2021.
  5. Web site: Office of the Clerk, U.S. House of Representatives. 2022-01-10. clerk.house.gov.
  6. Web site: 2022 Cook PVI: District Map and List. 2023-01-08. Cook Political Report. en.
  7. Web site: Digital Boundary Definitions of United States Congressional Districts, 1789–2012.. October 18, 2014.