Title
Ordinance approving an apportionment plan for the Lake County Board.
Staff Summary
• Due to significant delays in obtaining the 2020 Census data from the U.S. Census Bureau, Governor Pritzker signed SB 825 into law, which extended the reapportionment deadline to December 31, 2021.
• A reapportionment committee was established and directed to reapportion Lake County.
• At the October 1, 2021 Reapportionment Committee meeting, direction was given to prepare a reapportionment plan with 19 districts.
• Public input was received from 11/17-11/24 and sent to Board Members for review and consideration.
o In response to public input, the residents on the east side of Druce Lake have been included in the same district as Druce Lake.
o In response to public input, North Barrington has been added to the same district as Barrington, Lake Barrington, Port Barrington, and Barrington Hills.
• Per state statute, districts will be divided into three groups to determine terms of office.
• The recommended apportionment plan and corresponding map is attached.
Body
ORDINANCE
WHEREAS, Illinois Compiled Statutes, Chapter 55, Section 5/2-3001, et seq. previously required the County Board to reapportion the County by July 1, 2021; and
WHEREAS, due to significant delays in the reporting of final census information, the Illinois General Assembly enacted amendments to grant an extension to December 31, 2021 for the reapportionment of 2021 only (55 ILCS 5/2-3002); and
WHEREAS, on August 12, 2021, the U.S. Census Bureau released 2020 census data needed to enable states and local governments to begin redrawing electoral districts using official census data; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County Board held public comment period to solicit public feedback on the proposed reapportionment plan; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County Reapportionment Committee recommended a reapportionment plan for nineteen (19) single member County Board Districts; and
WHEREAS, the County Board determined that Board Members will be elected by districts, and Illinois law requires the County Board to develop an apportionment plan and specify the number of districts and the number of County Board Members to be elected from each district where the districts are substantially equal in population, comprised of contiguous territory (as nearly as compact as possible), dividing townships and municipalities only when necessary to meet population equality, and not dividing precincts between two or more districts insofar as is practicable; and
WHEREAS, the County Board has further determined that the new nineteen (19) districts will be divided publicly by lot as equally as possible into three (3) groups no later than September 1, 2022 as required by Illinois law; and
WHEREAS, the Lake County Reapportionment Committee has developed a plan for the reapportioning of Lake County in accordance with Illinois and federal statutes, and the proposed plan and map are attached hereto and made part of this Ordinance (collectively, the “Reapportionment Plan”).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED, by this County Board of Lake County, Illinois that:
1. The Lake County Board to be elected commencing in 2022 shall be elected by single member County Board Districts.
2. The number of Lake County Board Districts for the Lake County Board to be elected commencing in 2022 shall be nineteen (19), the boundaries of which shall be as set forth in the attached Reapportionment Plan.
3. The number of Lake County Board Members to be elected from each district to be elected commencing in 2022 shall be one (1).
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that it is the finding and the determination of this County Board that each of the above named districts are in compliance with the requirements set forth in Illinois Compiled Statutes, Chapter 55, Section 5/2-3003, and all other applicable law, which finding and determination is outlined in the attached Reapportionment Plan; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that pursuant to state law and subsequent to the approval of the Reapportionment Plan, the new 19 districts will be divided publicly by lot as equally as possible into three groups no later than September 1, 2022 - which is the year of the next general election following reapportionment; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that the County Board directs the County Administrator to file the Reapportionment Plan with the County Clerk before December 31, 2021; and
BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED, that the County Clerk is hereby requested to distribute a certified copy of this ordinance and the Reapportionment Plan to the Chairman of the Board and the County Administrator.
ADOPTED, in Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois, on this 14th day of December, A.D., 2021.