In what lower chamber District do I live in

After each decennial census conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, the House and Senate districts are redrawn. The new districts are the basis for the next general election, and the new districts take effect in the general assembly after that election.

Thus, after the 2010 Census, the state House and Senate districts were redrawn in 2011. These districts will be used as the basis for the general election held in November 2012. They took effect with the beginning of the subsequent General Assembly in January 2013.

Post-Census 2020 legislative districts

The Illinois legislature passed a congressional plan (HB 1291) on Nov. 11, 2021. The Governor signed the bill on Nov. 23, 2021.

"The Illinois legislature used American Community Survey (ACS) data and passed a state legislative plan (HB 2777) on May 28, 2021, which the Governor signed on June 4, 2021. Following the release of the 2020 Census data on Aug. 12, 2021, the state legislature passed a second redistricting plan (SB 297), which the Governor signed on Sept. 24, 2021.

The state redistricting plans were challenged in federal court (See McConchie v. Ill. State Board of Elections, Contreras v. Ill. State Board of Elections and UCCRO v. Ill. State Board of Elections). The initial plan (HB 2777) using ACS data was ruled unconstitutional on Oct. 19, 2021. The second plan (SB 297) was upheld on Dec. 30, 2021." Source: Loyola Law School Redistricting website

The Census 2020 districts are in effect from: 103rd General Assembly, Session One, 2023 through: 107th General Assembly, Session Two, 2032. 

IECAM will report data by Census 2020 Illinois State House and Senate districts for most site-based services and most demographic variables from FY2023 (school year 2022-2023) through FY2032 (school year 2031–2032). In addition, IECAM will report data for some site-based services according to these districts for 2021 and 2022 (years when those districts were not actually in effect) to provide a baseline comparison for later data.

Post-Census 2010 legislative districts

The Census 2010 districts are in effect from: 98th General Assembly, Session One, 2013 through: 102nd General Assembly, Session Two, 2022

IECAM will report data by Census 2010 Illinois State House and Senate districts for most site-based services and most demographic variables from FY2013 (school year 2012-2013) through FY2022 (school year 2021–2022). In addition, IECAM will report data for some site-based services according to these districts for 2011 and 2012 (years when those districts were not actually in effect) to provide a baseline comparison for later data.

Post-Census 2000 legislative districts

The Census 2000 districts were in effect from: 93rd General Assembly, Session One, 2003 through: 97th General Assembly, Session Two, 2012

Note on census 2000 districts reported in IECAM: IECAM began reporting data by Census 2000 Illinois State House and Senate districts for some site-based services and most demographic variables beginning with FY2006 (school year 2005–2006). Reporting by Census 2000 districts continued through FY2012 (school year 2011–2012)

What are State Legislative Districts?

State legislative districts (SLD) are areas from which members are elected to state or equivalent entity legislatures. State legislative districts embody the upper (senate—SLDU) and lower (house—SLDL) chambers of the state legislatures. Nebraska has a unicameral legislature and the District of Columbia has a single council, both of which the Census Bureau treats as upper-chamber legislative areas for the purpose of data presentation. Therefore, there are no data by the lower house of the state legislative districts for either Nebraska or the District of Columbia.

How did the Census Bureau acquire the State Legislative District boundaries?

The Census Bureau requested a copy of the state laws and/or applicable court order(s) for each state from their 2010 Redistricting Data Program state liaison. Additionally, the states were asked to furnish their newly established legislative district boundaries and numbers by means of geographic equivalency files.

The Census Bureau entered this information into its geographic database and produced 2010 Census tabulation block equivalency files that depicted the newly defined legislative district boundaries. Each state liaison was furnished with their file and requested to review, submit corrections and certify the accuracy of the boundaries.

In the 50 states, there are 99 state legislative chambers. The formal name varies from state to state. In 27 states, the legislature is simply called the "Legislature," or the "State Legislature," while in 19 states, the legislature is called the "General Assembly." In Massachusetts and New Hampshire, the legislature is called the "General Court," while North Dakota and Oregon designate the legislature as the "Legislative Assembly."

Composition

Every state (except Nebraska) has a bicameral legislature, meaning that the legislature consists of two separate legislative chambers (or "houses"); Nebraska has a unicameral, or one-chamber legislature. In all bicameral legislatures, the smaller chamber is called the "Senate" and is usually referred to as the "upper house." (Nebraskan legislators are referred to as "senators" for historical reasons; when the legislature was reorganized, the lower house was abolished and the Senate renamed). The smaller chamber usually, but not always, has the exclusive power to confirm appointments made by the governor and to try articles of impeachment. (In a few states, a separate Executive Council, composed of members elected from large districts, performs the confirmation function.) Members of the smaller chamber represent more citizens and usually serve for longer terms than members of the larger chamber, generally four years. In 41 states, the larger chamber is called the "House of Representatives." Five states designate the larger chamber the "Assembly" and three states call it the "House of Delegates." Members of the larger chamber usually serve for terms of two years. The larger chamber customarily has the exclusive power to initiate taxing legislation and articles of impeachment.

States with multi-member districts

See also: State legislative chambers that use multi-member districts

Multi-member districts (MMDs) are electoral districts that send two or more members to a legislative chamber. Ten U.S. states have at least one legislative chamber with MMDs.[1][2]

According to the Vermont Legislative Research Service, there are five forms of MMD:[3]

1. Bloc: Voters receive as many votes as there are open seats. Voters can vote once for a particular candidate. All votes must be used. 2. Bloc with partial abstention: Same as bloc, except voters can elect not to use all of their votes. 3. Cumulative: Voters are free to use their votes however they wish. This is not used in state legislative elections at present; in 1982, Illinois was the last state to stop using the system.[4] 4. Staggered: Two legislators represent the same district with elections happening in different years. 5. Seat/post: Instead of running in a pool of candidates with the aim of finishing strongly enough, candidates run for a specific seat as in a single-member district.

Note: Scholars argue that as a matter of structure, staggered and post forms should not be considered MMDs due to races having the appearance of those for single-member districts.[4][5]

Floterial districts are otherwise separate districts that geographically overlap each other, giving the effect of a multi-member district in the area of overlap. These are allowed in New Hampshire.

Districts by state

The following table details the number of districts and seats in each legislative chamber. Chambers with multi-member districts are bolded.

Legislative seats and districts State Senate districts Senate seats House districts House seats Total districts Total seats Total 1,938 1,972 4,828 5,411 6,766 7,383

Alabama	35	35	105	105	140	140
Alaska	20	20	40	40	60	60
Arizona	30	30	30	60	60	90
Arkansas	35	35	100	100	135	135
California	40	40	80	80	120	120
Colorado	35	35	65	65	100	100
Connecticut	36	36	151	151	187	187
Delaware	21	21	41	41	62	62
Florida	40	40	120	120	160	160
Georgia	56	56	180	180	236	236
Hawaii	25	25	51	51	76	76
Idaho	35	35	35	70	70	105
Illinois	59	59	118	118	177	177
Indiana	50	50	100	100	150	150
Iowa	50	50	100	100	150	150
Kansas	40	40	125	125	165	165
Kentucky	38	38	100	100	138	138
Louisiana	39	39	105	105	144	144
Maine	35	35	151	151	186	186
Maryland	47	47	67[6]	141	114	188
Massachusetts	40	40	160	160	200	200
Michigan	38	38	110	110	148	148
Minnesota	67	67	134	134	201	201
Mississippi	52	52	122	122	174	174
Missouri	34	34	163	163	197	197
Montana	50	50	100	100	150	150
Nebraska	49	49	0	0	49	49
Nevada	21	21	42	42	63	63
New Hampshire	24	24	204	400	228	424
New Jersey	40	40	40	80	80	120
New Mexico	42	42	70	70	112	112
New York	63	63	150	150	213	213
North Carolina	50	50	120	120	170	170
North Dakota	47	47	47	94	94	141
Ohio	33	33	99	99	132	132
Oklahoma	48	48	101	101	149	149
Oregon	30	30	60	60	90	90
Pennsylvania	50	50	203	203	253	253
Rhode Island	38	38	75	75	113	113
South Carolina	46	46	124	124	170	170
South Dakota	35	35	37[7]	70	72	105
Tennessee	33	33	99	99	132	132
Texas	31	31	150	150	181	181
Utah	29	29	75	75	104	104
Vermont	13	30	104	150	117	180
Virginia	40	40	100	100	140	140
Washington	49	49	49	98	98	147
West Virginia	17	34	67	100	84	134
Wisconsin	33	33	99	99	132	132
Wyoming	30	30	60	60	90	90

Legislative districts

Click one of the links below for an overview of individual district articles.

1. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Declining Use of Multi-Member Districts," July 13, 2011
2. ↑ National Conference of State Legislatures, "Changes in Legislatures Using Multimember Districts after Redistricting," September 11, 2012
3. ↑ Vermont Legislative Research Service, "The Pros and Cons of Multi-Member Districts," accessed July 25, 2012
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 West North Carolina Library Network, "The Mismeasure of MMD: Reassessing the Impact of Multi Member Districts on Descriptive Representation in U.S. State Legislatures" by Lilliard Richardson and Christopher Cooper, accessed July 25, 2012
5. ↑ The Georgia Political Economy Group, School of Public and International Affairs, The University of Georgia, "Ideological Extremism, Branding, and Electoral Design: Multimember versus Single Member Districts" by Anthony Bertelli and Lilliard Richardson, November 10, 2006. Retrieved July 25, 2012
6. ↑ There are 47 district numbers in the Maryland State House. Counted individually, there are 67 districts. For example, Districts 1A, 1B, and 1C add up to three seats, while District 4—which has three legislators—counts as one district.
7. ↑ South Dakota House of Representatives District 26 and District 28 are both split into two districts representing different geographic areas.