Based on experience from my first run of maps posted last year, I’ll be simplifying my standard township layout somewhat. For free print maps, I’m now going to stick with the 24″ x 36″ size. Skipping the wall maps size will allow me to work faster. Next, I’ve gotten much better at producing color line maps without the aerial photos, so these will come standard now. These are helpful because they clearly show municipal boundaries. Maps with election data will only be on the aerial maps for townships now… that just works better in terms of visual design. Also, new precinct boundaries means that the only data I have to work with that currently matches is the recent March 20th primary. With this is mind, I’ll do some nifty maps show primary turnout statistics.

Barrington Township Color Line Map

You can see the first example of the new layout on the page for Barrington Township.
Lastly, once I get Cook county updated, Dupage will be next…

Cheers!

About to start making updates. yeah

I’m bogged down with campaign work and don’t see that changing much between now and the end of March 2012. I’ll leave this website up as a general resource, but although there’s much to be done here at PrecinctMaps.com, updates will be infrequent for a while.

If you’re interested in ordering a district map, please be patient. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

Dupage Township Maps Online No Longer Current
Lastly, I should note Dupage County recently changed their precinct boundaries. Although changes were subtle from some inital township checks, alterations were comprehensive. This makes township maps online here at precinctmaps.com no longer current.

Will Co. clerk: Cutting precincts could save $200,000 per election

By Jon Seidel

JOLIET — A plan to consolidate Will County election precincts could save taxpayers as much as $200,000 per election, County Clerk Nancy Schultz Voots said.

It also could mean some Will County voters would be sent to new polling places when they cast their primary ballots in March. The county would shed 143 precincts, under the plan.

“The whole purpose of this is to save money, and also to be more efficient,” Voots said.

The clerk and her staff began working on the consolidation plan in June, when the county board voted on new political districts.

Under Voots’ proposal, Will County would have 302 precincts, each with 1,200 to 1,300 registered voters. Today the county has 445 precincts, she said, with varying numbers of registered voters. In one Plainfield precinct, Voots said, just 11 people showed up to vote in a recent election.

Voots said her plan will save the county money on voting booths, election judges and staff preparation. She said she’s trying to encourage voters to turn out on Election Day, but she doesn’t expect her plan to cause long lines. . . (read full)

Legislative maps face another legal challenge

By Jamey Dunn

Illinois’ new Congressional and state legislative district maps face yet another lawsuit.

The League of Women Voters of Illinois sued to have both maps tossed out, claiming they violate the First Amendment rights of voters by trying to control their political voices. “By considering the partisan composition of the districts and the political competitiveness of election campaigns in such districts, the General Assembly is unlawfully attempting to control or influence the kinds of views, opinions and speech that residents placed in those districts are likely to express or hear and receive,” the lawsuit said.

The lawsuit says that trying to make districts politically competitive — something that would require voting history and information on party affiliations — is a valid goal. But it says that Democratic mapmakers were more concerned with maximizing political benefits than ensuring that races would be competitive. “ By use of methods to control or influence the kind of views that residents are likely to hear and receive, without safeguards ensuring such action is narrowly tailored to serve legitimate state interests, there is a significant risk that the General Assembly and Congressional delegation will become less accountable and responsive to changes in public opinion and less under popular control,” the complaint said.

“The problem is the usual gerrymandering. It doesn’t matter who is in office. They just do it,” said Jan Dorner, president of the League of Women Voters of Illinois. “It isn’t specifically about these maps. … our hope is to change it from now on.” … (read full)

Several people have asked me if I expect this legal action to be successful. I don’t. UNO supports the current map. MALDEF seems to have taken a pass on the suit. . . and I don’t see arguments for protecting Republicans a political minority going anywhere.

Campaigns for 2012 should be planned with the boundaries as they are currently drawn.

City population loss, race issue make council remap tricky
By John Byrne and Hal Dardick Clout Street

4:32 p.m. CDT, July 6, 2011

Veteran Ald. Richard Mell laid out the basics of redrawing the lines of Chicago’s 50 wards on Wednesday, saying this go-around will be the most challenging in recent memory.

Two of the biggest challenges involve race: The city’s African-American population dropped by more than 181,000, while the city’s Latino population grew by about 25,000 according to last year’s federal census.

Black aldermen would prefer not to lose City Council seats while Latino aldermen are looking to pick up a few seats as the new ward boundaries are drawn.

“I ask you to keep an open mind if you possibly can, to understand that even though your ward may be statistically almost right, the ward next to you could be statistically way off, which will affect everybody. So nobody’s ward is going to remain exactly the same,” Mell, 33rd, told colleagues.

Mell expects the process – in which ward boundaries are redrawn to reflect population changes so that each ward has roughly the same population – to begin in earnest around Aug. 1…(read full)

Is election commission worth it to Aurora?
By Marie Wilson

Decades ago, the Aurora Election Commission was established by a vote of the residents.

Now, at least one Aurora alderman is calling for another citywide vote — this time on disbanding the commission that handles elections for Aurora residents living in Kane, Kendall and Will counties but not DuPage County.

Alderman Lynda Elmore said inequalities between whose tax dollars support the commission and who receives its services are part of why she wants to discontinue it.

The commission is funded by Kane County and the city of Aurora. All Aurora residents contribute through taxes they pay the city, even DuPage County residents who do not receive the commission’s services. And Kane County Aurora residents pay twice — once through the taxes they pay the city and again through their county taxes.

“It’s a combination for me of the cost of maintaining it and the fact that it is double taxing at least a third of our population, which is an unfair situation,” said Elmore, whose ward is mostly in DuPage County…(read full)

Quinn signs congressional remap
Posted by Greg H. at 6/24/2011 11:48 AM CDT

Gov. Pat Quinn Friday signed the congressional remap passed by legislative Democrats — a significant but expected action.

In a statement, the governor said the map, which has been bitterly attacked by Republicans, “is fair, maintains competitiveness within congressional districts, and protects the voting rights of minority communities.”… (read full)

County board picks redistricting plan
By KEVIN P. CRAVER

WOODSTOCK – The McHenry County Board decided to stick with the redistricting map developed in open meetings rather than the one developed behind closed doors.

Board members voted Tuesday evening, 18-4, in favor of adopting a redistricting map drawn up by its Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee. An alternate proposal drawn up by a handful of board members and under fire for possibly violating the Open Meetings Act, was soundly defeated on voice vote.

County and state legislators must redraw their legislative boundaries after each 10-year census to ensure that each district contains an equal number of people. McHenry County, according to the 2010 U.S. Census, grew by 18.7 percent over the past decade to 308,760 residents…

The approved map moves only 15 of the county’s 212 voting precincts, all of them in Grafton and Algonquin townships and affecting Districts 1, 2, 3 and 5 in the county’s heavily-populated southeast corner.

District 6, which covers the county’s rural western half, and District 4, which covers Richmond, Burton and most of McHenry Township, are unchanged…(read full)

Here’s the approved map from the Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee with links for download:

McHenry County Board Districts - 2011

Download Approved McHenry County Board PDF Map