Realignment of state House and Senate districts will give Fox Valley more input in General Assembly
By Matt Hanley mhanley@stmedianetwork.com July 16, 2011 3:17PM
House, Senate breakdown
A look at the Fox Valley’s state House and Senate districts, under new maps signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn:
State representatives
41st – Darlene Senger, Republican, intends to run
49th – Mike Fortner, Republican, intends to run
50th – Kay Hatcher, Republican, intends to run
65th - Tim Schmitz, Republican, intends to run
83rd - Linda Chapa LaVia, Democrat, intends to run
84th - New seat. Alex Arroyo, Democrat, will run
97th - Tom Cross, Republican, intends to run
State Senate
21st - Tom Johnson, Republican, said he will not run again
25th - Chris Lauzen, Republican, has not announced whether he will run again
33rd – New seat. Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay will run
42nd - Linda Holmes, Democrat, intends to run
49th – New seat. Oswego Trustee Tony Giles, Shorewood Trustee Gary Fitzgerald and Plainfield Trustee Garrett Peck have said they will run or are considering a run
Article Extras
Updated: November 5, 2011 5:21PM
The southeast corner of Douglas Road and Barbara Lane in Montgomery is a forgotten grassy lot. The lot is so overlooked that even the For Sale sign has fallen down; the number listed on it leads to a lifeless dial tone.
It’s not much too look at, but legislatively, the land has a fantastic view.
According to the state legislature redistricting maps signed by Gov. Pat Quinn, the lot that usually collects nothing but abandoned beer cans and forgotten receipts may soon be bull’s-eye for campaign signs. That lot is on or very near the intersection of three state House and three state Senate districts. Just one mile north is a fourth state representative district. It figures to be the best represented vacant lot in Springfield.
Multiple districts in Montgomery is nothing new. The village sits in two counties and five school districts. Until the realignment of the state and federal districts, the village had five state legislators. And unless a court makes significant changes to the map, the village is going to end up with four state representatives and three state senators — or about one state legislator for every 2,000 residents.
“I’m used to this. It’s just more cumbersome,” said Village President Marilyn Michelini. “The state legislators always say they get more letters and e-mails from me than anyone else. I guess I’ll just keep that up and increase it.”
Montgomery’s situation is an extreme example, but it illustrates the results of a huge Fox Valley population surge over the last 10 years. The statewide shift to the suburbs created new state Senate districts in far northern Kane County and northeast Kendall County, as well as a new state representative seat on the East Side of Aurora.
But that’s just the beginning of the changes. With candidates still left to announce their intentions, there could be as many as five Senate or representative contests without an incumbent in the region.
Brand new seating
Redistricting was long overdue in the Fox Valley. Every 10 years, after the census results are announced, the lines for the state and national legislative districts have be redrawn to account for shifts in population. And in the last decade, Kane, Kendall, Will and DuPage counties added almost 360,000 people. On average, 98 people moved in every day.
That left some districts with comically bulging populations. For instance, state Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora, had about 120,000 too many people in her district.
After the November 2012 elections, Illinois will have 18 members of the U.S. House of Representatives (one fewer than now), 59 state senators and 118 state representatives (same as now).
The goal will be to have state House districts with 108,734 residents and state Senate districts with 217,468 residents. Illinois “nests” districts — meaning that two representative districts sit within one Senate district.
Besides the new 84th House District seat on the East Side of Aurora, there will be a new 33rd Senate District in far northern Kane County, which Kane County Board Chairman Karen McConnaughay has announced she will seek. Another new state Senate district, the 49th, will cover Montgomery, Oswego, Plainfield, Shorewood and Bolingbrook. Three Republicans have already mentioned an interest in that district.
The shifts will also move familiar faces. State Rep. Tim Schmitz’s new 65th District would move the Batavia Republican farther north and take in less of the Tri-Cities area. Meanwhile, the district for Rep. Mike Fortner, a Republican from West Chicago, would stretch from South Elgin to the far East Side of Aurora, along the east side of the Fox River.
Naperville Republican Darlene Senger would lose almost all of the Aurora areas she currently represents in the House. Kendall County Republican Kay Hatcher says she lost, geographically, about one-third of her district.
The changes don’t stop in the House. State Sen. Tom Johnson of Winfield, who now represents a district that touches Aurora, has said he will not run. And longtime Republican State Sen. Chris Lauzen, of the 25th District, said he hasn’t made up his mind about returning.
“I haven’t decided. I’m talking to people. I love serving the people of Kane, Kendall and LaSalle counties,” the Auroran said. “Twenty years of doing anything, that’s a long time. I think it’s important that everybody takes turns.”
Still challenging maps
Both the state and federal redistricting were controlled by the Democrats, who had a big enough majority in both chambers of the General Assembly that they could pass their own maps, which were OK’d by the Democrat governor. All the maps are being challenged in court.
Throughout the time leading up to the map’s approval, the process was criticized as partisan and lacking transparency. After the maps came out, Republicans amplified their critiques. Democrats said it was the best that could be done taking into account thousands of requests and variables.
“I think it was fair in the respect that it tried to conform to some of the guidelines that you have to work with,” said Holmes, an Aurora Democrat.
“Does it feel skewed for the Democrats? Yes. The Republicans drew the maps last time and did they unfairly skew to the Republicans? Yes. That is the process. Whatever party has control of the map, the other side is screaming that it’s unfair.”
Several legislators from both parties said they hope the remapping will spur more interest in something like the Fair Map Amendment, which attempts to de-politicize the redistricting. An effort to get a Fair Map amendment on the ballot fell well short last year.
“I don’t care if Republicans are in control or the Democrats are in control, this process should change,” Lauzen said.
In Illinois, districts must be compact, connected and relatively equal in population. They are also supposed to protect minority areas and consider the core of prior districts. Within those broad and somewhat elastic rules, districts can take unusual shapes.
That can leave mayors and village presidents trying to get the attention of plenty of people.
Dilution or power?
For residents, the bottom line is attention: How much does their voice count with state or national elected officials?
In April, Michelini appeared before a redistricting hearing at the Illinois Math and Science Academy in Aurora. She asked that her village be kept in as few legislative districts as possible.
“We need a go-to person,” she pleaded with the eight state legislators on the redistricting panel.
When she saw the maps, Michelini noticed her wish was far from granted. She understands redistricting is complicated, but that didn’t lessen the disappointment.
“I’m used to this,” she said. “It’s just more cumbersome.”
Montgomery isn’t alone. Oswego will also apparently have four state representatives and three state senators. Most bigger cities split their representation.
There are two schools of thought on that situation. One group believes having more representatives means having more people in Springfield fighting for your issues.
“I think it’s good to have a choice of several representatives and senators to choose from,” Lauzen said. “If an elected official doesn’t agree with you, then you can go to the other person.”
But there’s also the danger that smaller towns’ voices will be diluted. If their town only makes up small chunks of several legislator’s districts, then no one may need them enough to get re-elected.
Michelini has no complaints about her current legislators. They’ve always been responsive and helpful, she said. But with so many unknowns, she always has to be worried about the future.
In the meantime, Michelini does expect one immediate change: next time the village holds a parade, there should be plenty of political floats.
“We may have to add a few spots,” she said, laughing.
To see the new congressional and state legislative districts, go to: www.ilhousedems.com/redistricting
Comments Click here to view or make a comment