The district was established in 1994, when the board transitioned from holding elections in individual districts, as opposed to the previous practice of having two multi-member districts districts: one for ten members from the city of Chicago and another for seven members from suburban Cook County.[1]
Geography
In every incarnation since its inception, the district has covered portions of the South Side of Chicago and portions of its southern suburbs.
1994 boundaries
When the district was first established, the district represented parts of the South Side and Southwest Side of Chicago, as well as parts of the southern suburbs of Cook County.[2]
In regards to townships and equivalent jurisdictions, the district's redistricted boundaries included portions of the city of Chicago and portions of the Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Rich, Thornton, and Worth townships.[4]
2012 redistricting
The district, as redistricted in 2012 following the 2010 United States Census, strongly resembled the geography it took in its previous, 2001, redistricting.[4][5][6][7]
In regards to townships and equivalent jurisdictions, it included portions of the city of Chicago and portions of Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Rich, Thornton, and Worth townships.[8]
The district was 76.68 square miles (49,076.30 acres).[9]
2022 redistricting
The district was redistricted in 2022 following the 2020 United States Census.[10] The district remained a majority Black district spanning across parts of the South Side of Chicago and parts of the city's southern suburbs.[11] The district, as redistricted, includes portions of the city of Chicago and portions of the Chicago, Bloom, Bremen, Calumet, Lake, Rich, Thornton, and Worth Townships.[12]
Politics
The district was represented from its inception in 1994 through 2022 by Democratic commissioner Deborah Sims. She was succeeded in December 2022 by Democrat Monica Gordon.