Aurora area residents can have their say coming up concerning the legislative redistricting process in Illinois.
A public hearing of the Illinois House Redistricting Committee is set for 4 p.m. April 9 at Aurora City Hall at 44 E. Downer Place in downtown Aurora.
The hearing is expected to last 60 to 90 minutes. It is one of 23 scheduled hearings across the state where legislators will receive input from groups and individuals concerning the redistricting process in Illinois.
Redistricting happens once every 10 years and involves the redrawing of legislative district boundaries to reflect population changes after the federal census.
Members of the public are welcome to share their thoughts on demographic trends they see in their areas, communities of interest and other information about the region that should inform the process of creating new legislative districts, officials said concerning the ongoing hearings.
Local state Reps. Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, and Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, are encouraging residents to have a say concerning the process of redistricting in Illinois.
“I think it’s important that the public be involved in the process and have input. I’ve walked throughout the district where our people live and need to hear their views about their lives and where things are going,” Kifowit said. “We want to offer an opportunity to open things up and for people to participate.”
Kifowit said shifts in the state’s population make the redrawing of district boundaries important.
“There have been population shifts here in DuPage and Kendall counties as well as in the state including southern Illinois,” she said. “My understanding is the process of redrawing the lines will be completed by the end of June.”
Hernandez likewise echoed the need for citizens’ voices to be heard and that representation be “fair and equal.”
“It’s important that voices be heard and this is something that is really important as the process happens only once every 10 years,” she said. “We need to know what people are focused on.”
In a press release from the representatives, Hernandez said she is “committed to ensuring that our community’s diverse population, especially Black and Latino voices who have long been pushed to the margins, receive fair and equal representation in our state’s maps.”
Regarding participation, representatives said those not wishing to come to City Hall for the hearing will have ample opportunities to participate.
“We’re going to stream the meeting live on our Facebook page as well as Zoom which will give as many people as possible the opportunity to join in,” Hernandez said. “We know from the past census that things have changed a great deal.”
Capacity at City Hall will be limited due to social distancing requirements and masks will have to be worn.
Individuals or groups interested in testifying should contact RedistrictingCommittee@hds.ilga.gov. Participants should include the date and region of the hearing they wish to attend, and a brief description of the testimony they wish to share.
Written testimony can also be shared directly with the Redistricting Committee at any time by emailing RedistrictingCommittee@hds.ilga.gov.
David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.