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Prof. Justin Levitt's Doug Spencer's Guide to Drawing the Electoral Lines

State Summary

Illinois’ congressional lines are drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto.  The legislature is also primarily responsible for drawing state legislative lines — but if it fails to pass a plan, authority falls to an eight-member backup commission.  If a majority of those eight backup commissioners cannot agree on a plan, the Supreme Court submits two individuals from different political parties to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State will randomly choose one of the two to serve as a tiebreaker on the commission. In the 2000 cycle, the name of the commission’s tiebreaker was selected by pulling a commissioner’s name from a replica of Lincoln’s stovepipe hat.

In the 2020 cycle, the Illinois legislature passed a congressional plan (HB 1291) on Nov. 1, 2021, which the governor signed on Nov. 23, 2021. For the state legislative map, using American Community Survey (ACS) data because of the delay in Census results, the legislature passed a state legislative redistricting plan (HB 2777) on May 28, 2021, which the governor signed on June 4, 2021; a federal court struck that plan as unconstitutionally malapportioned.  On Aug. 31, 2021, the legislature passed a new state legislative plan (SB 927), which the Governor signed on Sept. 24, 2021.

In the 2010 cycle, the legislature passed a congressional plan (SB 1178) on May 31, 2011, which the governor signed on June 24, 2011.  It passed state legislative plans (SB 1177) on May 27, 2011, which the governor signed on June 3, 2011.

A 2014 ballot initiative attempting to change the redistricting process, and another in 2016, were both rejected by the state courts.  [Hooker v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections, 63 N.E. 3d 824 (Ill. 2016); Clark v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections, No. 2014-CH-07356 (Ill. Cir. Ct., Cook Cnty. June 27, 2014)]  In 2021, the legislature passed a statute adjusting census data for state legislative districts in order to count incarcerated individuals at their last known residence before incarceration, effective starting 2025.  [730 Ill. Cons. Stat. § 205/2-1 et seq.]

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The Latest Updates

Jan 3, 2022
A three-judge federal court upheld the Illinois state legislative maps created by the state legislature.
Nov 23, 2021
Illinois Gov. Pritzker signs new congressional districts into law.
Oct 29, 2021
The Illinois General Assembly approved a final congressional redistricting plan. The plan now goes to the governor for final approval.
Oct 23, 2021
Illinois Democratic lawmakers introduced a new congressional map proposal after releasing an initial proposal earlier this month.
Oct 19, 2021
A federal court ruled (see Contreras and McConchie) the Illinois June legislative redistricting plan was unconstitutional and ordered the plaintiffs to propose revisions by Nov. 8th.
Oct 16, 2021
A new federal court challenge to the Illinois state legislative maps claiming it undermines Black voters.
Oct 15, 2021
Illinois Democrats proposed a new congressional map for the state. Despite the state losing a congressional seat, the proposal projects seat gains for the democratic delegation.
Oct 4, 2021
The Illinois House Redistricting Committee announced public hearings to discuss congressional redistricting. The virtual hearings will be held between Oct. 7-15, 2021.
Oct 4, 2021
The Illinois Senate Redistricting Committee announced a series of public hearings to discuss congressional redistricting. The virtual hearings will take place Oct. 8-15, 2021.
Oct 1, 2021
The plaintiffs in Contreras v. Ill. State Board of Elections filed a second amended complaint challenging the Illinois legislative maps signed into law on Sept. 24 by the governor.
Oct 1, 2021
The plaintiffs in McConchie v. Ill. State Board of Elections filed a second amended complaint challenging the Illinois legislative maps signed into law on Sept. 24 by the governor.
Sep 24, 2021
The Governor of Illinois signed the updated legislative redistricting plan (SB 927), which established new state senate and house districts in the Illinois.
Aug 31, 2021
The Illinois General Assembly approved new legislative maps for both the state House districts and Senate districts.
Jun 18, 2021
Gov. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 825 amending the election code and extending the candidate filing deadline in Illinois from November 29, 2021 to March 14, 2022.
Jun 10, 2021
The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund has filed a federal court challenge against the Illinois state legislative redistricting plans.
Jun 9, 2021
Illinois Republicans filed a federal court challenge against Illinois state legislative redistricting plans.
Jun 4, 2021
Illinois Governor signed HB 2777 approving new state legislative maps for the Illinois House and Senate.
May 28, 2021
Illinois House and Senate passed HB 2777 approving the state legislative plans (House map; Senate map). The plan will be sent to Governor Pritzker for signing.
May 22, 2021
Illinois released their proposed legislative maps for state Senate and House districts.
Mar 13, 2021
Illinois Senate Redistricting Committee will be hosting three public hearings next week on March 17 (Statewide), March 18 (DuPage County), and March 19 (Northern Illinois)
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Institution

Illinois’ congressional lines are drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto.

Illinois’ legislature is also primarily responsible for drawing state legislative lines.  If the legislature fails to pass a plan, authority falls to an eight-member backup commission, in place since 1980. Each of the four legislative leaders (majority and minority leader in each legislative house) chooses two commissioners apiece: one legislator and one member of the public; at most four may have the same party affiliation.   If a majority of those eight commissioners cannot agree on a plan, the state Supreme Court submits two individuals from different political parties to the Secretary of State, and the Secretary of State will randomly choose one of the two to serve as a tiebreaker on the commission. In the 2000 cycle, the name of the commission’s tiebreaker was selected by pulling a commissioner’s name from a replica of Lincoln’s stovepipe hat. [Ill. Const. art. IV, § 3]

The Illinois Supreme Court has exclusive jurisdiction to hear challenges to state legislative plans in state court. [Ill. Const. art. IV, § 3]

Timing

Illinois state law does not impose a particular deadline for drawing congressional lines, though candidates must file for congressional primary elections by Mar. 14, 2022. [10 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/7-12(1)]  The legislative session began on Jan. 13, 2021, and runs through the end of the calendar year.

The legislature’s deadline for drawing state legislative lines was June 30, 2021; if the legislature failed to pass a plan by then, the backup commission was supposed to be convened. The commission’s first eight members had until August 10, 2021, to produce a plan, whereupon the tiebreaker will be appointed. The final deadline for the nine-member backup commission was Oct. 5, 2021. [Ill. Const. art. IV, § 3(b)]  Candidates were required to file for state legislative primary elections by Mar. 14, 2022. [10 Ill. Comp. Stat. § 5/7-12(1)]

Illinois prohibits redrawing state legislative lines mid-decade, before the next Census; there is no similar provision pertaining to congressional lines. [Ill. Const. art. IV, § 3(b); Mooney v. Hutchinson, 50 N.E. 599 (Ill. 1898)]

Public input

Legislative redistricting committees must hold at least one public hearing in each of four distinct geographic regions of the state, in order to receive testimony from the public. [10 Ill. Cons. Stat. § 125/10-5]  The legislature may alter these requirements by statute.

Public hearing materials for the Senate and House redistricting committees for the 2020 cycle can be found here and here, respectively.  Both committees provided web tools for members of the public to submit feedback to the committees.

Criteria

Like all states, Illinois must comply with constitutional equal population requirements.  Starting in 2025, Illinois also adjusts census data for state legislative districts in order to count incarcerated individuals at their last known residence before incarceration.  [730 Ill. Cons. Stat. § 205/2-1 et seq.]

Also like all states, Illinois must abide by the Voting Rights Act and constitutional rules on race.  For state legislative districts, state law further directs the redistricting body to create, where legally and pragmatically possible, districts that allow racial or language minority communities to elect — or influence the election of — the candidates of their choice, even if no comparable district would be required by the federal Voting Rights Act.  That requirement was implemented after the last cycle’s redistricting, and has not yet been interpreted by the courts.  [10 Ill. Cons. Stat. §§ 120/5-5]  The legislature may alter these requirements by statute.

For Illinois’ state legislative lines, the state constitution further requires that districts be contiguous and reasonably compact. There are no similar requirements for congressional lines. [Ill. Const. art. IV, § 3(a); People ex rel. Burris v. Ryan, 588 N.E.2d 1023, 1028 (Ill. 1991); Schrage v. State Bd. of Elections, 430 N.E.2d 483 (Ill. 1981)]

2020 cycle

The Illinois legislature passed a congressional plan (HB 1291) on Nov. 1, 2021, which the governor signed on Nov. 23, 2021.

For the state legislative map, using American Community Survey (ACS) data because of the delay in Census results, the legislature passed a state legislative plan (HB 2777) on May 28, 2021, which the governor signed on June 4, 2021.  After the release of Census data, the legislature passed a new state legislative plan (SB 927) on Aug. 31, 2021, which the governor signed on Sept. 24, 2021.

The June state legislative plan using ACS data was struck by a federal court on Oct. 19, 2021, as unconstitutionally malapportioned.  [McConchie v. Scholz, 567 F.Supp.3d 861 (N.D. Ill. 2021)]  Challenges to the September state legislative plan in state and federal were rejected.  [McConchie v. Scholz, 577 F.Supp.3d 842 (N.D. Ill. 2021); McCombie v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections, 2025 Ill. 131480 (Ill. 2025)]  It does not appear that the congressional plan was challenged in court.

2010 cycle

The Illinois legislature passed a congressional plan (SB 1178) on May 31, 2011, which the governor signed on June 24, 2011.

The Illinois legislature passed a state legislative plan (SB 1177) on May 27, 2011, which the governor signed on June 3, 2011.

The congressional plan was challenged in federal court, and the state legislative plan was challenged in federal and state court. The challenges were ultimately rejected. [Cross v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections, No. 113840 (Ill. June 7, 2012); Radogno v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections, 836 F. Supp. 2d 759 (N.D. Ill. 2011), aff’d, 133 S. Ct. 103 (2012); Comm. for a Fair and Balanced Map v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections, 835 F. Supp. 2d 563 (N.D. Ill. 2011); League of Women Voters v. Quinn, No. 1:11-cv-05569, 2011 WL 5143044 (N.D. Ill. Oct. 28, 2011), aff’d, 132 S. Ct. 2430 (2012)]

2000 cycle

The Illinois legislature passed a congressional plan (HB 2917) on May 30, 2001, which the governor signed the next day.  It could not agree on a state legislative plan, however, and the process fell to a backup commission. That commission — with its ninth member appointed by drawing a name from a replica of Lincoln’s stovepipe hat — approved a state legislative plan on Sept. 25, 2001.

The congressional plan and state legislative plan were both challenged in state court, and the state legislative plan was challenged in federal court. The challenges were ultimately rejected. [Campuzano v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections, 200 F. Supp. 2d 905 (N.D. Ill. 2002); Beaubien v. Ryan, 762 N.E.2d 501 (Ill. 2001); Cole-Randazzo v. Ryan, 762 N.E.2d 485 (Ill. 2001)]

Redistricting Cases in Illinois

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Illinois | State Lower
McCombie v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections
State supreme court rejected challenge to state House districts due to untimely filing
Last Updated Apr 9, 2025
Case No. 131480 (Ill. Sup. Ct.)
Cycle 2020
Illinois | State Lower
E. St. Louis Branch NAACP v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections
Federal court rejected challenge to state House redistricting plan: unjustified racial predominance, VRA violations
Last Updated Dec 30, 2021
Case No. 1:21-cv-05512 (N.D. Ill.)
Cycle 2020
Illinois | State Upper | State Lower
Contreras v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections
Federal court struck malapportioned state legislative map (using ACS data), rejected challenges based on VRA violations and intentional discrimination
Last Updated Dec 30, 2021
Case No. 1:21-cv-03139 (N.D. Ill.)
Cycle 2020

2020 Illinois Maps Available for Download

Search all Cycles for Illinois Maps >

Illinois | 2020
2020 Illinois Maps
Illinois’ congressional lines are drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to...
Number of Maps 4
Last Updated Oct 22, 2021
Cycle 2020