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. [2] [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.
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 | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
District | Member (Residence) [5] | Party | Incumbent since | CPVI (2022) [6] | District map |
1st | Jonathan Jackson (Chicago) | Democratic | January 3, 2023 | D+20 | |
2nd | Robin Kelly (Matteson) | Democratic | April 11, 2013 | D+19 | |
3rd | Delia Ramirez (Chicago) | Democratic | January 3, 2023 | D+20 | |
4th | Chuy García (Chicago) | Democratic | January 3, 2019 | D+22 | |
5th | Mike Quigley (Chicago) | Democratic | April 7, 2009 | D+18 | |
6th | Sean Casten (Downers Grove) | Democratic | January 3, 2019 | D+3 | |
7th | Danny Davis (Chicago) | Democratic | January 3, 1997 | D+36 | |
8th | Raja Krishnamoorthi (Schaumburg) | Democratic | January 3, 2017 | D+6 | |
9th | Jan Schakowsky (Evanston) | Democratic | January 3, 1999 | D+19 | |
10th | Brad Schneider (Highland Park) | Democratic | January 3, 2017 | D+11 | |
11th | Bill Foster (Naperville) | Democratic | January 3, 2013 | D+5 | |
12th | Mike Bost (Murphysboro) | Republican | January 3, 2015 | R+24 | |
13th | Nikki Budzinski (Springfield) | Democratic | January 3, 2023 | D+3 | |
14th | Lauren Underwood (Naperville) | Democratic | January 3, 2019 | D+4 | |
15th | Mary Miller (Oakland) | Republican | January 3, 2021 | R+22 | |
16th | Darin LaHood (Peoria) | Republican | September 10, 2015 | R+13 | |
17th | Eric Sorensen (Moline) | Democratic | January 3, 2023 | D+2 | |
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.
These are tables of congressional delegations from the State of Texas to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.
North Carolina is currently divided into 14 congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives. After the 2000 census, the number of North Carolina's seats was increased from 12 to 13 due to the state's increase in population. In the 2022 elections, per the 2020 United States census, North Carolina gained one new congressional seat for a total of 14.
The U.S. state of Alabama is currently divided into seven congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives.
Kentucky is currently divided into six congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives. The number of congressional districts has been set at six since the 1990 redistricting cycle.
Ohio is divided into 15 congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives. After the 2010 census, Ohio, which up until then had 18 districts, lost two House seats due to slow population growth compared to the national average, and a new map was signed into law on September 26, 2011. Starting in the 2022 midterms, per the 2020 United States census, Ohio lost its 16th congressional seat, ending up with its current 15 districts.
California is the most populous U.S. state; as a result, it has the most representation in the United States House of Representatives, with 52 Representatives. Each Representative represents one congressional district.
Wisconsin is currently divided into 8 congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives. After the 2020 census, the number of Wisconsin's seats remained unchanged.
After the 2000 census, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania was divided into 19 congressional districts, decreasing from 21 due to reapportionment.
Florida is divided into 28 congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives. After the 2020 census, the number of Florida's seats was increased from 27 to 28, due to the state's increase in population, and subsequent reapportionment in 2022.
Virginia is currently divided into 11 congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives. The death of Rep.
The 4th congressional district of Illinois includes part of Cook County, and has been represented by Democrat Jesús "Chuy" García since January 2019.
Utah is divided into 4 congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives. After the 2010 census, Utah gained one House seat, and a new map was approved by the state legislature and signed into law by Governor Gary Herbert.
The following is a list of the ten congressional districts in the U.S. state of Washington. From the time that Washington Territory was formed in 1853, through statehood in 1889, Washington Territory elected an at-large non-voting Delegate to the United States House of Representatives. At different times in its history, the state of Washington has also elected one or more representatives At-large statewide. Washington gained its 10th district following reapportionment after the 2010 census.
Maryland is divided into eight congressional districts, each represented by a member of the United States House of Representatives. After the 2020 census, the number of Maryland's seats remained unchanged, giving evidence of stable population growth relative to the United States at large.
Gerrymandering is the practice of setting boundaries of electoral districts to favor specific political interests within legislative bodies, often resulting in districts with convoluted, winding boundaries rather than compact areas. The term "gerrymandering" was coined after a review of Massachusetts's redistricting maps of 1812 set by Governor Elbridge Gerry noted that one of the districts looked like a mythical salamander.
Redistricting in California has historically been highly controversial. Critics have accused legislators of attempting to protect themselves from competition by gerrymandering districts. Conflicts between the governor and the legislature during redistricting often have only been resolved by the courts.
The National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC) is a US organization that focuses on redistricting and is affiliated with the Democratic Party. The organization coordinates campaign strategy, directs fundraising, organizes ballot initiatives and files lawsuits against state redistricting maps. At launch, the organization announced that it intends to support Democratic candidates for local and state offices in order for them to control congressional map drawing in the redistricting cycle following the 2020 United States census.
The 2020 United States redistricting cycle is in progress following the completion of the 2020 United States census. In all fifty states, various bodies are re-drawing state legislative districts. States that are apportioned more than one seat in the United States House of Representatives are also drawing new districts for that legislative body.
Redistricting in North Carolina has been a controversial topic due to allegations and admissions of gerrymandering.
Smiley v. Holm, 285 U.S. 355 (1932), was a decision of the Supreme Court of the United States involving a governor's power to veto a congressional redistricting proposal passed by a state's legislature. In an opinion by Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes, the Court unanimously held that the U.S. Constitution did not prohibit Minnesota's governor from vetoing that state's redistricting map.