Illinois Stands To Lose 1 Congressional Seat In Redistricting
Each new census means a re-draw of state and federal legislative maps.
CHICAGO (AP) - Illinois is expected to lose 1 of its 19 congressional seats when the U.S. Census Bureau announces new population estimates.
Census officials plan to release initial population figures Tuesday. Those numbers will figure into the once-a-decade finagling among state politicians over drawing new boundaries for Congressional and state legislative districts.
Nationally, the reapportionment is expected to help Republicans.
But Democrats in Illinois have an advantage because they control both chambers of the General Assembly and the governor's office, which are tasked with determining how the new political lines are drawn.
Census data so far suggests new Hispanic-dominated districts could emerge. Other scenarios include a lost Congressional seat in downstate Illinois.
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