The Commission Selection Process

The application deadline was April 9, 2021

Applications were accepted from March 9 through April 9, 2021. Applicants selected were notified in June 2021.

How were commissioners chosen?

A diverse selection committee of respected independent Chicagoans picked 13 commissioners from the pool of applicants who applied through online submissions.

Timeline overview

Applications to serve on the commission closed April 9, 2021. After 13 diverse commissioners and alternates were chosen by an independent committee, commissioners were seated and began training in early June. They then began hosting a series of hearings to listen to the people of Chicago throughout the summer and early fall.

The first public hearing took place on June 22, 2021. The commission’s work was conducted in public, livestreamed and included translation services; all community maps, testimony, meeting minutes and other business is preserved in the Hearings and Meetings tab for public review.

The 2020 Census data used for remapping was delivered on August 12, 2021. The commission immediately began to incorporate this data into their map-drawing considerations.

The commission’s first draft of The People’s Map was approved at its public hearing on September 10, 2021. The first draft map, reports on its creation, and its shapefiles all can be found on The People's Map page.

The commission’s second draft of The People’s Map was approved at its public hearing on September 24, 2021. The second draft map, reports on its creation, as well as its shapefiles can be found on The People's Map page.

The commission’s final version of The People’s Map was approved at its last public hearing October 1, 2021. The People’s Map, reports on its creation, as well as its shapefiles can be found at the top of The People's Map page.

The Chicago City Council, by law, is supposed to vote to approve a new ward map by December 1, 2021.

Chicago Advisory Redistricting CommissionSelection Committee Meeting Notes, April 21, 2021Call to Order: 11:00 AMRoll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.Adjournment: 1:30 pmThe independent selection committee for the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission met to begin considering applications to serve on the commission.More than 430 applications were submitted by the April 9th deadline from throughout the city. After filtering through initial eligibility -- whether an applicant was a Chicago resident and at least 18 years of age -- there were 374 left to be considered. After discussing the best approach to selecting applicants who would move to the next round of consideration, the selection committee decided to start the process of scoring by using the question, Please state why you are interested in joining the commission, as the starting point. Beginning April 22nd, each member of the committee will review all applicants’ answers to this question and rate them on a 0-3 scale. As a group, the committee will revisit and discuss the ratings at their next meeting, then move forward in conversation about applicants with point of reference questions. Questions inquiring about an applicant’s background, like length of residency in Chicago, were not determined as gradable. Instead, this question and others -- such as zip code, employment, and experience with redistricting -- will be considered as points of reference and representation when considering applicants. In regard to residency, selection committee members said they believed there are benefits to having both long-term residents and more recent transplants who are highly involved in their communities on the commission. Committee members agreed residents being considered should have lived in the city for at least five years. Chicago Advisory Redistricting CommissionSelection Committee Meeting Notes, April 28, 2021Call to Order: 11:00 AMRoll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.Adjournment: 12:45 pmThe independent selection committee for the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission met to go over the ratings assigned to applicants’ answers to the question, Please state why you are interested in joining the commission.Committee members did not see applicants’ names. Each applicant was assigned a random ID number for purposes of discussion and reference. The selection committee members also began to discuss their ratings, identifying those applicants who received the highest scores, and to consider the diversity in location of those applicants via zip code and racial demographic maps.The selection committee anticipates having a winnowed list of applicants move forward to an interview stage by the end of the committee’s next meeting on Wednesday, May 5th. Chicago Advisory Redistricting CommissionSelection Committee Meeting Notes, May 5, 2021Call to Order: 11:05 AMRoll Call: C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.Adjournment: 11:57 AMThe selection committee continued to review applications with applicants’ location in mind. It was decided that the committee will review the full applications of applicants who come from key zip codes to ensure geographic diversity in commission representation. Looking at the map, and fewer applicants in the top initial scores from the South and West Sides, committee members agreed to revisit applicants from the following zip codes: 60644, 60608, 60612, 60621, and 60620. Committee members would decide which of these candidates will be added to the interview pool by Friday, May 7, 2021. The committee members anticipate having semi-finalists to contact on Friday, May 7 for interviews during the weeks of May 10 and May 17.Chicago Advisory Redistricting CommissionSelection Committee Meeting Notes, May 10, 2021Call to Order: 11:00 AMRoll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.Adjournment: 12:00 PMThe independent selection committee for the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission met to continue discussing interviewing candidates and the committee members' availability for interviews. The selection committee members also agreed to invite University of Illinois-Chicago Professor Dick Simpson, the advisor to the committee, into the conversation and interview process to ensure a variety of opinions as committee members scheduling availability will be challenging.Chicago Advisory Redistricting CommissionSelection Committee Meeting Notes, May 12, 2021Call to Order: 11:00 AMRoll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Dick Simpson, Advisor to the Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.Adjournment: 12:30 PMThe independent selection committee for the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission met to continue scheduling interviews, now with the involvement of University of Illinois-Chicago Professor Dick Simpson. Committee members went through maps of applicant locations and considered the regional context of zip codes. Committee decided to reach out to applicants from the previously determined priority zip codes to conduct interviews over the weekend of May 15-16 and to meet once more Friday, May 14, to finalize the remaining interviewees. Chicago Advisory Redistricting CommissionSelection Committee Meeting Notes, May 14, 2021Call to Order: 11:33 AMRoll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Dick Simpson, Advisor to the Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.Adjournment: 1:00 PMThe selection committee confirmed interviews for Saturday, May 15, consistent interview practices to follow, and who will be chairing each interview session. The committee members also looked at a map of Chicago zip codes as they fit into the city’s the North, Northwest, Central, West, Southwest, South and Far South regions to gain further context of where potential interview candidates were applying from. This discussion led to the inclusion of applicants from other identified priority zip codes: 60609, 60617, 60619, and 60629. The committee members also updated Van Dyk on their availability for the upcoming week to continue scheduling interviews.Chicago Advisory Redistricting CommissionSelection Committee Meeting Notes, May 26, 2021Call to Order: 11:00 AMRoll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.Adjournment: 12:00 PMThe selection committee reviewed the number of interviews conducted and developed a strategy that allows them to complete interviews with the semi-finalist by Saturday, May 29, 2021. Next, the committee finished evaluating the remaining candidates who would move forward with interviewing with the selection committee. The committee members finalized the list of candidates who would be contacted for interviews. Once all of the interviews are complete, the selection committee will deliberate and make the final selection of commissioners. The committee members anticipate deciding on commissioners and alternates at their next meeting on June 2.Chicago Advisory Redistricting CommissionSelection Committee Meeting Notes, June 2, 2021Call to Order: 11:08 AMRoll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.Adjournment: 1:30 PMThe selection committee reviewed applicants’ interview scores and discussed the location, race, gender, and other socio-demographics of interviewees. It was decided that between two to three commissioners would be chosen from each of seven regions of Chicago, those being the North Side, Northwest Side, Central, West Side, Southwest Side, South Side, and Far South Side. The committee members selected the applicants from the North, Northwest, Central, West, and Southwest Sides that will be offered the role of commissioners. Van Dyk will schedule final interviews with Far South Side applicants and contact those chosen as commissioners in other regions. It is expected that the selection committee will select the rest of the commissioners from the South and Far South Sides and five commission alternates on Friday, June 4. Chicago Advisory Redistricting CommissionSelection Committee Meeting Notes, June 4, 2021Call to Order: 3:00 PMRoll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.Adjournment: 4:00 PMThe selection committee met to discuss and finalize their list of 13 commissioners and 5 alternates according to their principles of diversity and representation. Van Dyk followed up with these applicants with an official offer.

Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission

Selection Committee Meeting Notes, April 21, 2021

Call to Order: 11:00 AM

Roll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.

Adjournment: 1:30 pm

The independent selection committee for the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission met to begin considering applications to serve on the commission.

More than 430 applications were submitted by the April 9th deadline from throughout the city. After filtering through initial eligibility -- whether an applicant was a Chicago resident and at least 18 years of age -- there were 374 left to be considered. 

After discussing the best approach to selecting applicants who would move to the next round of consideration, the selection committee decided to start the process of scoring by using the question, Please state why you are interested in joining the commission, as the starting point. Beginning April 22nd, each member of the committee will review all applicants’ answers to this question and rate them on a 0-3 scale. As a group, the committee will revisit and discuss the ratings at their next meeting, then move forward in conversation about applicants with point of reference questions. 

Questions inquiring about an applicant’s background, like length of residency in Chicago, were not determined as gradable. Instead, this question and others -- such as zip code, employment, and experience with redistricting -- will be considered as points of reference and representation when considering applicants. In regard to residency, selection committee members said they believed there are benefits to having both long-term residents and more recent transplants who are highly involved in their communities on the commission. Committee members agreed residents being considered should have lived in the city for at least five years. 

Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission

Selection Committee Meeting Notes, April 28, 2021

Call to Order: 11:00 AM

Roll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.

Adjournment: 12:45 pm

The independent selection committee for the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission met to go over the ratings assigned to applicants’ answers to the question, Please state why you are interested in joining the commission.

Committee members did not see applicants’ names. Each applicant was assigned a random ID number for purposes of discussion and reference. The selection committee members also began to discuss their ratings, identifying those applicants who received the highest scores, and to consider the diversity in location of those applicants via zip code and racial demographic maps.

The selection committee anticipates having a winnowed list of applicants move forward to an interview stage by the end of the committee’s next meeting on Wednesday, May 5th.

Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission

Selection Committee Meeting Notes, May 5, 2021

Call to Order: 11:05 AM

Roll Call: C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.

Adjournment: 11:57 AM

The selection committee continued to review applications with applicants’ location in mind. It was decided that the committee will review the full applications of applicants who come from key zip codes to ensure geographic diversity in commission representation. Looking at the map, and fewer applicants in the top initial scores from the South and West Sides, committee members agreed to revisit applicants from the following zip codes: 60644, 60608, 60612, 60621, and 60620. Committee members would decide which of these candidates will be added to the interview pool by Friday, May 7, 2021. 

The committee members anticipate having semi-finalists to contact on Friday, May 7 for interviews during the weeks of May 10 and May 17.

Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission

Selection Committee Meeting Notes, May 10, 2021

Call to Order: 11:00 AM

Roll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.

Adjournment: 12:00 PM

The independent selection committee for the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission met to continue discussing interviewing candidates and the committee members' availability for interviews. The selection committee members also agreed to invite University of Illinois-Chicago Professor Dick Simpson, the advisor to the committee, into the conversation and interview process to ensure a variety of opinions as committee members scheduling availability will be challenging.

Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission

Selection Committee Meeting Notes, May 12, 2021

Call to Order: 11:00 AM

Roll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Dick Simpson, Advisor to the Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.

Adjournment: 12:30 PM

The independent selection committee for the Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission met to continue scheduling interviews, now with the involvement of University of Illinois-Chicago Professor Dick Simpson. Committee members went through maps of applicant locations and considered the regional context of zip codes. Committee decided to reach out to applicants from the previously determined priority zip codes to conduct interviews over the weekend of May 15-16 and to meet once more Friday, May 14, to finalize the remaining interviewees. 

Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission

Selection Committee Meeting Notes, May 14, 2021

Call to Order: 11:33 AM

Roll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Roberto Valdez, Selection Committee; Dick Simpson, Advisor to the Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.

Adjournment: 1:00 PM

The selection committee confirmed interviews for Saturday, May 15, consistent interview practices to follow, and who will be chairing each interview session. The committee members also looked at a map of Chicago zip codes as they fit into the city’s the North, Northwest, Central, West, Southwest, South and Far South regions to gain further context of where potential interview candidates were applying from. This discussion led to the inclusion of applicants from other identified priority zip codes: 60609, 60617, 60619, and 60629. The committee members also updated Van Dyk on their availability for the upcoming week to continue scheduling interviews.

Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission

Selection Committee Meeting Notes, May 26, 2021

Call to Order: 11:00 AM

Roll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.

Adjournment: 12:00 PM

The selection committee reviewed the number of interviews conducted and developed a strategy that allows them to complete interviews with the semi-finalist by Saturday, May 29, 2021. Next, the committee finished evaluating the remaining candidates who would move forward with interviewing with the selection committee. The committee members finalized the list of candidates who would be contacted for interviews. Once all of the interviews are complete, the selection committee will deliberate and make the final selection of commissioners. The committee members anticipate deciding on commissioners and alternates at their next meeting on June 2.

Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission

Selection Committee Meeting Notes, June 2, 2021

Call to Order: 11:08 AM

Roll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.

Adjournment: 1:30 PM

The selection committee reviewed applicants’ interview scores and discussed the location, race, gender, and other socio-demographics of interviewees. It was decided that between two to three commissioners would be chosen from each of seven regions of Chicago, those being the North Side, Northwest Side, Central, West Side, Southwest Side, South Side, and Far South Side. The committee members selected the applicants from the North, Northwest, Central, West, and Southwest Sides that will be offered the role of commissioners. Van Dyk will schedule final interviews with Far South Side applicants and contact those chosen as commissioners in other regions. It is expected that the selection committee will select the rest of the commissioners from the South and Far South Sides and five commission alternates on Friday, June 4. 

Chicago Advisory Redistricting Commission

Selection Committee Meeting Notes, June 4, 2021

Call to Order: 3:00 PM

Roll Call: Christina Rivers, Selection Committee; C.W. Chan, Selection Committee; Adam Alonso, Selection Committee; Chaundra Van Dyk, CHANGE Illinois Chicago Project Manager; Christina Cano, CHANGE Illinois, Projects Coordinator.

Adjournment: 4:00 PM

The selection committee met to discuss and finalize their list of 13 commissioners and 5 alternates according to their principles of diversity and representation. Van Dyk followed up with these applicants with an official offer.