Comments Welcomed At Redistricting Hearings

citizen |

by SheRico Jones

State representatives are inviting residents and community leaders to attend a public redistricting hearing at Chicago State University on Wednesday, April 20th at 4:00pm. Officials want to hear from community residents, ministers and community leaders to get comments in reference to redistricting.

Every 10 years, the federal government takes a census, which is an official count of the population. Afterwards, political districts have to be changed, based on the population. The process is known as redistricting. State Representative Monique Davis said this is one of the reasons why filling out the census was important.

This is the result of your being counted in the census, it determines how many representatives and congressional districts you have, Davis said.

According to civilrights.org, people of color and those from low-income populations are disproportionately counted in the census. Sometimes this occurs because of distrust in the government or out of fear that census responses may be used by immigration or law enforcement officials. Others may think completing the census may disqualify them for social welfare programs. However, a lack of participation in the census results in inaccurate population counts which can in turn affect the number of African Americans that will represent other Blacks in the Illinois General Assembly.

Currently, 20 of the 118 members of the Illinois House of Representatives are Black; and 10 of the 59 members of the Illinois Senate are African American. These officials represent districts across the South Side of Chicago, Rockford and Waukegan, said State Representative Constance A. Howard.

You want to make sure you have representation in those government bodies, Davis said. You want to have representatives in the senate, the house and congress, she said.

Residents who attend the redistricting hearing on April 20th will have the chance to speak and give any input they think is necessary for district maps to be drawn according to the best interest of the community. While there are a total of 15 redistricting hearings taking place statewide, this particular hearing will address the South Side of Chicago (including Chatham and Englewood) as far east as the Indiana border, the Southwest side of Chicago and the South Suburb of Lansing.

If people come to the hearing, they will sign up and we will be there to let them speak on this issue, Davis said. We [encourage] ministers and community leaders to come out, she said.

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