Prior to the ratification of the 1848 Illinois Constitution, counties (or two or more counties) were designated a certain number of Senators and Representatives. With the ratification of the 1848 Illinois Constitution, Legislative and Representative districts were numbered and called by name. Each district was still assigned a certain number of Senators and Representatives. After the passage of the 1872 Apportionment, only Legislative districts were drawn with Representatives elected cumulatively. The 1954 amendment to the 1870 Illinois Constitution established Representative districts as separate from Legislative districts (with representatives still elected cumulatively). The boundaries of Representative and Legislative districts would differ.[3] After the United States Supreme Court ruled in Reynolds v. Sims (1964) that "both houses of state legislatures must be apportioned according to districts of equal population," new districts were redrawn for the Illinois Senate and Illinois House of Representatives. While the Legislative districts were redrawn, the Governor and General Assembly failed to agree on Representative district boundaries. Under the 1954 amendment, "a 10-man bipartisan commission appointed by the governor from recommendations made by both parties" were directed to redraw boundaries but failed to do so in 1963. Because of this failure, and with no district boundaries redrawn, all Representative districts were temporarily merged into one at-large district with 177 representatives (the total number of representatives at the time). The 1964 Illinois House election had several candidates running for all 177 seats throughout the state.[4] In 1965, the Representative districts were redrawn by the Illinois Legislative Reapportionment Commission and elections held in 1966 were done with separate districts.[5] With the 1971 Apportionment (and adoption of the 1970 Illinois Constitution), Representative districts were abolished and representatives were once again elected cumulatively per Legislative district.[6] After the passage of the Cutback Amendment in 1980, the number of Representatives was reduced from 177 to 118 with Representative districts re-established and now electing a single representative.
Redistricted from 19th Legislative district and re-elected in 1956 Re-elected in 1958 Re-elected in 1960 Re-elected in 1962 Did not run in At-large election
Elected in 1956 Re-elected in 1958 Re-elected in 1960 Re-elected in 1962 Did not run in At-large election
The district was temporarily abolished from 1965 to 1967 due to the Redistricting Commission in 1963 failing to reach an agreement. An at-large election was held electing 177 Representatives from across the state.
Redistricted from At-large district and re-elected in 1966 Re-elected in 1968 Re-elected in 1970 Redistricted to 4th Legislative district and re-elected in 1972
Redistricted from At-large district and re-elected in 1966 Re-elected in 1968 Re-elected in 1970 Redistricted to 3rd Legislative district and re-elected in 1972
District abolished with 1971 Reapportionment as Representatives were once again elected from Legislative districts.
Redistricted from the 11th Legislative district and won re-election in 1982 Re-elected in 1984 Re-elected in 1986 Re-elected in 1988 Re-elected in 1990 Redistricted to the 17th Representative district and lost renomination.
Elected in 1998 Re-elected in 2000 Re-elected in 2002 Re-elected in 2004 Ran for Illinois Senate in the 2nd Legislative district and was appointed after winning in 2006.
^Campbell, R.A.; Walling, H.F.; Mitchell, Samuel Augustus (1870). Written at Chicago. "Union, Johnson, Alexander, Pulaski, Massac counties". David Rumsey Map Collection. Published by S.A. Mitchell, Jr. Philadelphia: R.A. Campbell. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
^Schonberg & Co.; Bancroft, H.H.; Goodspeed & Co. (1867). Written at New York. "Illinois. Entered ... 1864 ... New York". David Rumsey Map Collection. San Francisco: Schonberg & Co. Retrieved September 27, 2021.
^Colton, J. H.; Mathewson, A. J.; Messinger, John; Peck, J. M. (1852). "New sectional map of the state of Illinois". David Rumsey Map Collection. New York: J. H. Colton & Co. Retrieved September 7, 2021.