At the September county board meeting, Will County Executive Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant presented her proposed redistricting plan for 11 two-member districts, which reduces the size of the Will County Board by four members.
“I’m proud to present a map that best represents our diverse array of communities, while achieving cost savings through a leaner, more efficient county board structure,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “This plan aligns with the current population trends, keeps local communities intact, and prepares future boards for the continued growth of Will County.”
The county board district lines are adjusted every 10 years to reflect population changes since the last census and ensure approximately equal representation of residents. The proposed redistricting plan utilized 2020 census data, which state that the fast-growing county currently comprises of 696,355 residents.
In accordance with state statute, Bertino-Tarrant outlined the principles that guided the redistricting plan, including keeping each district close to equal in population and keeping both municipalities and townships as unified as possible.
“Our plan maintains simple boundaries that keep local governments together, allowing districts to accurately reflect shared community interests. This empowers board members to fully represent the neighborhoods they live in,” said Bertino-Tarrant.
The proposed map includes three majority-minority district and factors in projected growth throughout the county. The current county board map contains several districts that have an unevenly large population due to consistent growth in the northwestern region of the county, while others have very large land mass land mass with smaller populations such as in the eastern and southern parts of the county.
“It is imperative that our county board district boundaries align with our ever-changing demographics and accurately reflect the diversity of our communities,” Bertino-Tarrant said. “I am confident that this map factors in the key growth-areas and ensures an equitable spread of future county residents across several districts.”
The County Board is required to hold at least one public hearing to receive public comments and to discuss the apportionment plan. The hearing shall be held at least six days, but not more than 21 days, after the County Executive’s plan was presented to the Board, and the public shall be given notice of the hearing at least six days in advance.
For more information about the County Executive’s Redistricting Plan, visit www.willcountyillinois.comredistrictingmap.