CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — With what could have been a showdown vote on redistricting put off, Chicago City Council members are hoping to find common ground in drawing new Ward boundaries.
There’ve been raised voices and hot tempers around the rival ward maps proposed by the Latino and Black caucuses on the City Council. Black alderman wanted to hold onto all 18 of their seats despite population losses in some wards. Latino aldermen want to increase from 13 to 15 majority wards because of population gains.
Black Caucus chair Jason Ervin hoped a map from the Rules Committee could help forge a compromise, with 14 Latino majority wards and 17 Black wards.
He said the new map includes the city’s first Asian majority ward, 15 white wards and three others where people of color are in the majority.
Asian community advocates — for decades — have been calling for the ability to elect an Asian alderman. But, Chinatown’s population is divided among three wards, diluting the community’s voting strength.
Mayor Lori Lightfoot said putting most of Chinatown in one ward is a high priority for her.
Council Black Caucus chairman Jason Ervin said a new redistricting proposal from the Rules Committee would make it so. Even a rival map from the Latino caucus includes a majority Asian ward, one of the few areas where the two caucuses agree.
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