 Suburban areas in the northeastern part of the state gained
population in the past 10 years while the Chicago area lost some
residents, according to the latest U.S. census data.State Sen.
Kirk Dillard, R-Westmont, a member of the Senate Redistricting
Committee, said he is concerned that the Chicago power could extend
to the suburban areas.
"The census data shows that there's incredible growth in the
suburbs -- and what are now referred to as ‘the ex-burban areas,’"
Dillard said. "Plainfield and areas out there that the suburbs have
their proportionate share of members of the General Assembly. And
that the tentacles of Chicago don't so far reach out in skinny
districts to the suburbs that it dilutes the true representation of
suburbanites."
State Rep. Darlene Senger, R-Naperville, said the Republicans
basically have no say in the remapping of the districts.
It's rare in history that one party -- in this instance the
Democrats in Illinois -- controls both houses of the Legislature and
the governor’s office.
Robert Rich, director of the University of Illinois's Institute
of Government and Public Affairs, said redistricting is very
important because it's effective for 10 years. Districts are redrawn
every 10 years based on the census data.
"The way rules work in Illinois, the political party that has
control of the Legislature and the governor's mansion is the one who
controls the map," Rich said. "I think the concerns that are being
expressed are not distinctive and unique in Illinois."
Redistricting changes the borders of congressional and
legislative districts and affects voters' representation.
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Mary Schaafsma, census and redistricting coordinator for League
of Women Voters of Illinois, said her organization would like to see
more transparency in the redistricting process.
"We know in Illinois that the districts are also drawn by
legislative leaders to protect incumbent legislators," Schaafsma
said. "There's partisan data that's used to determine the drawing of
what we call 'the safe districts.' A safe district is one that's
drawn to maximize that incumbent's opportunity to be re-elected from
that district, so there's a big advantage both for the legislator
but also for the legislative leadership."
State Sen. Michael Noland, D-Elgin, vice-chair of the Senate
Redistricting Committee, said his committee's work will be fair and
objective because it adheres to federal law.
"I think what you're going to find is that it's balanced," Noland
said. "And the end result will be an objective opportunity for the
other side, the Republicans, to have folks elected to office that
are truly representative and whose values reflect those that are
their friends and neighbors."
Counties gaining population, according to the 2010 census,
include Lake, McHenry, Kane, Will and Kendall, which gained the
most.
[Illinois
Statehouse News; By MARY J. CRISTOBAL]
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