Chicago's #wards are redrawn every ten years due based on the census. Council members have been stuck in negotiations over proposed redrawings, agreeing upon the most recent May 2022 version less than two weeks before the issue would have been passed along to voters.
Many people have sought to take complete control away from the city's Aldermen and assign an independent commission to the task. In the past, the decennial remapping procedure has been controlled by aldermen and political powerhouses. These powers often redraw boundaries to safeguard their seats and punish their political foes.
Some claim this practice is a game of insider deal-making rather than an exercise in creating a more responsive and democratic City Council for all.
Some believe that an independent commission should be assigned to redraw the ward map. They say this is the best way to ensure fair and equal representation for all citizens. People with this viewpoint believe that historically, Chicago has been secretive when redrawing boundaries, and this must be stopped.
Others feel that the Aldermen should maintain control of this procedure, believing that enough safeguards are in place to secure proper representation. They believe the involvement of an independent commission would ultimately do more harm than good, as they are not involved in the city's day-to-day politics and law-making decisions.
The question up for debate: Should Aldermen have sole control over the ward map, or would a citizen-based commission be better?
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