Senate and House Redistricting Committees Update Online Mapmaking Portal with New Census Information

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Senate and House Redistricting Committees have updated an online mapmaking portal to reflect population and demographic information recently released by the U.S. Census Bureau, which will allow the public to review the data and submit proposed maps as lawmakers consider potential adjustments to legislative boundaries.

The mapmaking portal is available at www.ilsenateredistricting.com and www.ilhousedems.com/redistricting and comes ahead of a series of public hearings the committees will hold this week to gather input on adjustments to the legislative boundary map, which was passed in May. The portal continues the efforts of Democrats to engage in a redistricting process centered on public participation with more accessibility than ever before.

Members of the public are encouraged to submit any proposed legislative districts or communities of interest by August 29, 2021 for consideration.

Returning users that have previously used the portal do not need to create a new account.

“We want this census information to be easily accessible to encourage participation in the mapmaking process from community groups and organizations across Illinois,” said Sen. Omar Aquino, D-Chicago, Chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee. “As we have said all along, it is important that all voices are heard in order to ensure that every person in Illinois receives fair and equal representation.”

“We know that people throughout Illinois have insight into their communities and it is critically important that the redistricting committees are able to listen to this information in this remapping process,” said Rep. Elizabeth Hernandez, D-Cicero, Chairperson of the House Redistricting Committee. “In addition to our public hearings, we want to ensure people have other avenues for participation, like this mapmaking tool, so we can be certain that we are hearing directly from the people of this diverse state.”

Public hearings will begin Thursday and will include a virtual component to ensure stakeholders from across Illinois can safely participate during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Members of the public may request to provide testimony, submit electronic testimony or submit electronic witness slips in advance of the hearings via the General Assembly website www.ilga.gov or via email at redistrictingcommittee@senatedem.ilga.gov and redistrictingcommittee@hds.ilga.gov. 

Those who wish to provide testimony in person at a hearing location will be given the opportunity to do so as well.