In the aftermath of the 2020 U.S. Census, the Chicago Board of Elections released maps finalizing the new boundaries of the city’s 50 wards on Tuesday, and also announced significant reductions in the number of precincts for upcoming elections.
The ward maps, approved by the City Council in May, must be redrawn every 10 years following the Census, according to officials. The wards will take effect following next year's municipal elections.
As for the new precinct maps, they are drawn in line with new legislation passed by the Illinois General Assembly, giving the Board of Elections the authority to create new precincts that could represent up to 1,800 registered voters.
In all, the new map will contain 1,290 voting precincts, representing a decrease of 37.7% from the 2,069 precincts in the last election.
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Each precinct will now cover an average of 1,165 voters, up from the 550-to-750 voters covered under the previous map.
Max Bever, direction of information for the CBOE, says that the reduction in precincts will help keep polling places staffed this November.
“No one wants to see a delayed opening for a polling place or an empty judges’ table on Election Day,” he said. “We want to help more voters with what they need, right when they need it.”
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Another motivating factor in the redesigned precinct map was the significant change in voting patterns caused by the increased emphasis on early voting and vote-by-mail. According to CBOE officials, 70% of votes cast in the 2020 general election were either cast early or via the mail, and that number remained high even as Chicago moved out of the worst of the COVID pandemic, with more than 52% of ballots cast prior to the June primary.
Officials say that work is underway to finalize the list of polling places for the November election, with that information reaching voters by early October.
All registered voters in the city of Chicago will be sent new voter cards, which will show which ward they are in and which precinct they will be voting in.
More information on the precinct and ward maps can be found on the city’s website, according to officials.
