McHenry Times

Appreciative of the various community members represented in the April 9 House Redistricting Committee hearing in McHenry County, state Rep. Suzanne Ness (D-Carpentersville) thanked the people who gave time to testify.

Several witnesses provided their input and feedback at the hearing. Ness also thanked McHenry County Board member Kelli Wegener for recommending evening schedules considering that there are people who would want to participate but aren’t able to because of work schedules.

“Thank you for the witnesses who came on to speak today,” she said. “The purpose of these hearings is to hear from everyone. Every voice. Regardless of what anyone thinks is the intention behind that having people at the table with the courage to speak up come on to these hearings. That alone deserves our respect and so I appreciate everybody who has spoken here today.”

Ness also applauded the committee for scheduling and holding over 20 hearings to make sure that the public gets to participate.

A year before the 2022 elections, new boundaries should already be drawn following the release of the decennial federal census data.

Creating a fair map is what both Republicans and Democrats say they want. House Speaker “Chris” Welch advocates for a fair map that would reflect the diversity of the state. Republican lawmakers are pushing for an independent, nonpartisan commission to create a fair map.