Ward Redistricting
Every ten years, the City is required by Illinois municipal code to examine ward boundaries and, if necessary, rebalance ward lines based on census data. Illinois requires each of our nine wards to have no more than a 10% difference in population. Based on data from the 2020 census, the City has a population of 78,680. Therefore, each of Bloomington’s nine wards should have a population of approximately 8,742 people. Two wards show an imbalance of more than 10%: Ward 7, with only 7,711 people, and Ward 8, with 10,973 people.
To rebalance the wards, the City will now begin a redistricting process. Although only two wards are imbalanced, the redistricting could affect additional wards.
The public is invited to comment on proposed ward boundaries and can even submit a proposed map to the city clerk. Below is a map of the 2020 census population per ward.
Redistricting timeline:
March 28: The City Council directed city staff to use GIS data to draft at least two and no more than three ward map options for redistricting.
June 1: Deadline for residents to submit proposed ward boundaries by submitting maps in writing to the city clerk.
June 20: The Council will discuss the proposed maps during the committee of the whole meeting.
July 11: The City Council will vote on the new maps. This decision will be in time for candidates to circulate petitions for the next consolidated primary election. Council seats for Wards 2, 4, 6, and 8 will be up for election in 2023.
