McHenry County Board Redistricting Proposals For Thursday Consideration

THURSDAY, MAY 25

8:30 a.m.—Legislative and Intergovernmental Affairs Committee-

Considerable discussion could be held Thursday morning when the Committee again considers the redistricting of the County residents for County Board representation.

This has been a touchy topic for a number of weeks. It is a matter that is required by law to be accomplished every ten years.

Redistricting is not only for County Board members. The state is also redistricting the population for legislative and senatorial districts. However, the County Board is only concerned with redistricting for the County Board members.

At the May 3 County Board meeting, a Resolution was adopted establishing that the population deviation between districts will be minimized and in no case will exceed three percent.

Also included in the resolution was a statement that incumbent County Board member addresses will not be considered during the redistricting process.

Further, the County Board Chairman will continue to be elected by his or her peers on the County Board. There had been some suggestions and discussion that the County Board Chairman should be elected by the entire voting population.

The County retained the services of an expert on the subject, Dr. Michael Fortner. He spoke to the full County Board at the April 3 meeting. Certain criteria is required when considering redistricting all according to the Federal Voting Rights Act. Currently, the County level of minorities is not sufficient to require special specific redistricting.

One principal necessary is that districts should be compact. However, that is not clearly defined. Dr. Fortner relates that it generally refers to how close is a district to a circular or square shape.

At another committee meeting regarding redistricting, a few lines were moved via use of computerized mapping. This is something that in the past was accomplished by County Clerk Kathy Schultz and her staff without computerization.

Following are the precincts as proposed and to be considered at Thursday’s meeting.

 District 1: consisting of Algonquin Township precincts 1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, 12, 14, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 56, 60, 62, 63, 64, 65, and 68 and Grafton Township precincts 14, 17, 18, 28, 30; and

District 2: consisting of Algonquin Township precincts 2, 5, 7, 10, 11, 13, 15, 19, 20, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 42, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 57, 58, 59, 61, and 66, and Grafton Township precincts 2, 3, 5, 7, 8, 10, 13, 31; and

District 3: consisting of Algonquin Township precincts: 21, 29, 49, 50, and 67, and Nunda Township precinct 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, and 29, and McHenry township precincts 2, 9, 20, 22, 25, 28, and 30; and

District 4: consisting of McHenry Township precincts 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 23, 24, 26, 27, 29, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35, and Richmond Township precincts 1, 2, 3, and 4, and Burton Township precinct 1, 2, and 3; and

District 5: consisting of Dorr Township precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9,10,11, 12, 13, and 14, Greenwood Township precinct 4, and Grafton Township precincts 1, 6, 9, 11, 12, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 29;

District 6: consisting of Grafton Township precincts 4, 15, 26, and 27, and Greenwood Township precincts 2, 3, 5, 6, and 7, and Coral Township precincts 1, 2, and 3, and Chemung Township precincts 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, and Marengo Township precincts 1, 2, 3, and 4, and Seneca Township precincts 1 and 2, and Hartland Township precincts 1 and 2, and Alden Township precinct 1, and Hebron Township precincts 1 and 2, and Riley Township precinct 1, and Dunham Township precinct 1. 

It is hoped that the finalization of the redistricting for McHenry County Districts can be finalized with a vote by the  County Board at its June 21 meeting.