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
The district has, since its inception, covered portions of Chicago's Far Northwest Side and its northwest suburbs.[2]
1994 boundaries
When the district was first established, the district represented parts of the Northwest side of Chicago and the northern suburbs of Cook County, and the western suburbs of Cook County.[3]
In regards to townships and equivalent jurisdictions, the district's redistricted boundaries included portions of the city of Chicago and portions of the Leyden, Maine, Norwood Park, Oak Park, and River Forest townships.[5]
In regards to townships and equivalent jurisdictions, it includes portions of the city of Chicago, and portions of Elk Grove, Leyden, Maine, Northfield, Norwood Park, River Forest, and Wheeling townships, as well as a small, uninhabited portion of Proviso.[10]
The district is 59.54 square miles (38,103.37 acres).[11]
2022 redistricting
The district was redistricted following the 2020 United States Census.[12] Its redistricting was seen as having made the district's voter demography more Republican-leaning than it had previously been.[2] The overall boundaries of the district are similar to the previous ones, containing portions of the cities of Chicago, River Forest, Elmwood Park, River Grove, Rosemont, Harwood Heights, Norridge, Park Ridge, Niles, Glenview, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect, Arlington Heights, Prospect Heights, Rolling Meadows, and an unpopulated portion of Melrose Park.[13]
Politics
The district has only ever been represented by Republican commissioner Peter N. Silvestri.
At its inception, the district was originally projected to be a "swing district", with both major parties having a fair chance of winning the district.[14]
