Equipment and staff are available by request

(Chicago) In an effort to bring greater transparency to the legislative redistricting process, Illinois House Minority Leader Tom Cross and Senate Minority Leader Christine Radogno are opening the map drawing room in the James R. Thompson Center in Chicago to the public, Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. until noon or by appointment (312-814-2053).

The room is located on the 16th Floor of the Thompson Center, 100 W. Randolph, Chicago.

A public station is also available in Springfield. The viewing station is located in Room 401 of the Stratton Office Building, directly west of the State Capitol in Springfield, and is open to the public Mondays through Fridays, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Interested parties should contact 217-558-3036 to access each public workstation. 

Staff, computers and software are available to community activists, organizations and people interested in drawing legislative district boundaries.  The census data that is used to draw the maps will also be available, and members of the public will be able to save their maps and take them home.

“Many interested groups and members of the public have expressed interest in drawing their own districts and maps during this very important process,” said Cross.  “We are making our equipment, including computers, software and staff, available to anyone who is interested in this process.  Residents of our state should have access to staff and equipment that their tax dollars paid for.”

Members of the public will be able to save their maps and take them home with them. Both the House and Senate have public hearings scheduled to discuss the redistricting process for the next few weeks around the state.  

“We want to provide an opportunity for citizens to truly participate in the process,” Radogno said. “By opening up the map room, citizens and interested groups can actually draw maps that they way wish to submit to the legislature for consideration. It is one of the many ways we are working to bring more fairness, transparency and openness to the redistricting process.”

The legislative redistricting process, which happens every decade after the census numbers are released, is underway in Illinois.    According to the state constitution, a new map, which will include new district lines for representatives and senators, must pass the General Assembly and be signed by the Governor by June 30.

If that deadline is not met, a commission will be appointed and must file a map by August 1st.  If that does not happen, the Supreme Court will submit one Republican and one Democrat’s name to the Secretary of State’s office.   The Secretary of State will select one of the names to be added to the existing commission.  The commission must file a map by October 5.