Pritzker Signs New Legislative Maps Into Law One Week After Democrats Push Them Through
SPRINGFIELD – Gov. JB Pritzker on Friday signed new legislative district maps Democrats pushed through the General Assembly a week ago — maps Democrats approved on partisan lines over objections from community advocacy organizations, self-styled government reform groups and Republicans. “Illinois’ strength is in our diversity, and these maps help to ensure that communities that have been […]
New Legislative Maps Pass Less Than 24 Hours After Introduction
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois lawmakers passed measures Friday to redraw state legislative and judicial district lines, less than 24 hours after the bills implementing the maps were introduced. The latest versions of the legislative maps were released about 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The actual legislation to implement them was released in the early hours of Friday morning, […]
Democrats Float Slightly Tweaked Remap Plans To Bolster Claims Party Heeded Community Input
SPRINGFIELD – Democrats in Illinois’ House and Senate Thursday evening released a second set of proposed legislative district boundary maps with four days left in the General Assembly’s regularly scheduled spring session. The new maps are tweaked ever so slightly from versions made public over the weekend, giving Democrats cover from complaints the majority party […]
Democrats Unveil Legislative Map Proposal, GOP Calls It ‘Gerrymandering 101’
SPRINGFIELD – House and Senate redistricting committees will hold a series of public hearings this week on a proposed new set of legislative maps that Democrats released late Friday, despite the fact that official census data won’t be available until later this year. The Democrats’ decision to release the maps after 7:30 p.m. Friday, combined […]
Democrats’ Late Friday Maps Drop Brings Decennial Redistricting Fight To Fever Pitch
SPRINGFIELD — The Illinois General Assembly’s typical end-of-May rush is headed for an acrimonious conclusion after Democrats published their long-awaited proposed legislative maps Friday evening, kicking off what those in the party hope is the final leg of a contentious once-in-a-decade redistricting process. Republicans — along with many self-styled government reform organizations and minority advocacy […]
Southern Illinois Could Be Target For Congressional District Loss
A political scientist predicts southern Illinois will lose a congressional district when the Democrat-controlled Illinois legislature redraws the political maps this year. The two southernmost districts are held by Republicans: Mike Bost of Murphysboro and Mary Miller of Oakland. John Shaw, director of the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, said Democrats […]
Census Population Figures Cost Illinois A Congressional Seat
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois will lose another seat in Congress as a result of the 2020 Census. It continues a long slide in prestige and power for Illinois, which has forfeited 10 seats in the U.S. House in the last seven censuses. The effect could mean fewer federal dollars and larger congressional districts in central and […]
Congressman Joins Statehouse GOP In Calling For Redistricting Commission
SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Congressman Rodney Davis joined his Republican colleagues in the General Assembly Monday in calling on Gov. JB Pritzker to support legislation to form an independent commission to redraw congressional and state legislative district maps. “In the end, I think the public is demanding an open transparent process,” Davis, of Taylorville, said during […]
Illinois Governor and Advocates Urge Last-Minute Participation in Census
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled this week that counting for the 2020 Census can stop. The court decision adds to the ongoing confusion about the census but…
News Around Illinois – Sept. 7, 2020
9 Children Among New COVID Cases; Testing Positivity Rate Falls McLean County health officials on Monday reported 46 new cases, including two babies (under age 1) and seven children 17 and under. The health department on Monday provided age-specific information about new cases for the first time in over a week. The department had stopped […]
How Many Census Forms Have Been Returned?
This digital embed shows the cumulative response rate of households that sent their family information to the Census Bureau online, by telephone or via mail. Data as of August 26. This chart is current as of Aug. 26, 2020, and will be updated. Source: U.S. Census.
Census Begins Door Knocking Across Illinois, As Advocates Worry About Shortened Response Time
People in Illinois who have not yet filled out their census forms will soon get a knock at their door.
News Around Illinois – July 31, 2020
Homeland Security Has Seized $200 Million From Travelers At O’Hare Airport Since 2000, Report Finds The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has seized more than $203 million in cash from travelers at O’Hare International Airport since 2000 – more than any other airport in the country, according to a report released Thursday. And more than […]
News Around Illinois – July 10, 2020
Gov. Pritzker Names New Head Of Unemployment Department Months After Complaints Pile Up Democratic Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker Thursday named a new director of the agency that manages unemployment claims after the department encountered serious problems dealing with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. The Illinois Department of Employment Security also started a new approach […]
News Around Illinois – April 2, 2020
Health Chief: ‘Be Strong And Courageous’ In Facing COVID-19 SPRINGFIELD — The state public health director has issued a somber warning that Illinois residents can expect mounting numbers of illness and death in the new month from the vicious spread of the coronavirus. The 6,980 cases of COVID-19 reported Wednesday by Dr. Ngoze Ezike are […]