Illinois's 1st House of Representatives district is a Representative district within the Illinois House of Representatives located in Cook County, Illinois. It has been represented by Democrat Aaron Ortiz since January 9, 2019. The district was previously represented by Democrat Daniel J. Burke from 2013 to 2018.
The district covers parts of Chicago, Forest View, and Stickney, and of Chicago's neighborhoods, it covers Archer Heights, Bridgeport, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, Garfield Ridge, McKinley Park, New City, and West Elsdon.
Representative district history 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. 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. In 1965, the Representative districts were redrawn by the Illinois Legislative Reapportionment Commission and elections held in 1966 were done with separate districts. 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. 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.
Prominent representatives Representative NotesJohn Dougherty Elected the 17th Lieutenant Governor of Illinois (1869 – 1873)Elected as a judge in the Illinois circuit courts (1877 – 1879) Bradley M. Glass Served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy Jack E. Walker Elected the 62nd Speaker of the Illinois House of Representatives (1969 – 1971) Anthony Scariano Served as a judge in the Illinois Appellate Court (1985 – 1996) Brian Barnett Duff Served as a judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1985 – 1996)Served as senior judge in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois (1996 – 2016)Suzana Mendoza Elected the 10th Illinois Comptroller (2016 – present)
List of representatives 1849 – 1873 Representative Party Years General Assembly (GA) Electoral history Counties representedDistrict established with 1848 Illinois Constitution John CochranDemocratic January 1, 1849 –January 6, 1851 16th Elected in 1848Was not re-elected in 1850AlexanderPulaskiUnion Cyrus G. Simons Unknown January 6, 1851 –January 3, 1853 17th Elected in 1850Was not re-elected in 1852 John CochranDemocratic January 3, 1853 –January 1, 1855 18th Elected back in 1852Was not re-elected in 1854 F. M. Rawlings January 1, 1855 –January 5, 1857 19th Elected in 1854Was not re-elected in 1856John DoughertyRepublican January 5, 1857 –January 3, 1859 20th Elected in 1856Was not re-elected in 1858 William A. HackerDemocratic January 3, 1859 –January 5, 1863 21st22nd Elected in 1858Re-elected in 1860Was not re-elected in 1862 James H. Smith Unknown January 5, 1863 –January 2, 1865 23rd Elected in 1862Was not re-elected in 1864 Henry W. WebbDemocratic January 2, 1865 –January 7, 1867 24th Elected in 1864Was not re-elected in 1866 Newton R. Casey January 7, 1867 –January 4, 1871 25th26th Elected in 1866Re-elected in 1868Was not re-elected in 1870 H. Watson Webb January 4, 1871 –January 8, 1873 27th Elected in 1870Was not re-elected in 1872 AlexanderDistrict abolished with 1872 Reapportionment as 3 Representatives were now elected cumulatively from Legislative districts.
1957 – 1973 Representative Party Party Control Years General Assembly (GA) Electoral history Counties representedDistrict re-established in 1957 Jack E. WalkerRepublican2 Republicans1 Democrat January 9, 1957 –January 6, 1965 70th71st72nd73rd Elected in 1956Re-elected in 1958Re-elected in 1960Re-elected in 1962Did not run in At-large electionCook Maurino Richton January 9, 1957 –January 4, 1961 70th71st Elected in 1956Re-elected in 1958Retired. Anthony ScarianoDemocratic January 9, 1957 –January 6, 1965 70th71st72nd73rd Elected in 1956Re-elected in 1958Re-elected in 1960Re-elected in 1962Re-elected to At-large district Edwin A. McGowanRepublican January 4, 1961 –January 6, 1965 72nd73rd Elected in 1960Re-elected in 1962Did not run in At-large electionThe 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. Frances L. DawsonRepublican2 Republicans1 Democrat January 4, 1967 –January 13, 197175th76th Redistricted from At-large district and re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968Ran for Trustee of the University of Illinois and lost.Cook Alan R. Johnston January 4, 1967 –January 13, 1971 Redistricted from At-large district and re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968Retired. Harold A. KatzDemocratic January 4, 1967 –January 10, 1973 75th76th77th Redistricted from At-large district and re-elected in 1966.Re-elected in 1968Re-elected in 1970Re-districted to 1st Legislative district and re-elected in 1972 Brian Barnett DuffRepublican January 13, 1971 –January 10, 197377th Elected in 1970Redistricted to 1st Legislative district and re-elected in 1972 Bradley M. Glass January 13, 1971 –January 10, 1973 Elected in 1970Ran for Illinois Senate in the 1st Legislative district in 1972 and won.District abolished with 1971 Reapportionment as Representatives were once again elected from Legislative districts.
1983 – present Representative Party Years General Assembly (GA) Electoral history Counties representedDistrict re-established and representatives were now elected one per district with the passage of the Cutback Amendment.Alan J. GreimanDemocraticJanuary 12, 1983 –??? 83rd84th Redistricted from the 15th district and re-elected in 1982Re-elected in 1984Re-elected in 1986Appointed as a Judge to Circuit Court of Cook County in 1987Cook85thVacant ??? –July 1987 Lou LangDemocraticJuly 1987 –January 13, 1993Appointed July 1987Elected in 1988Re-elected in 1990Redistricted to the 16th Representative district 86th87th Rafael "Ray" Frias January 13, 1993 –???88th Elected in 1992Re-elected in 1994Resigned before the end of the 88th GA.Vacant??? –April 1, 1995 89th Fernando A. FriasDemocratic April 1, 1995 –January 8, 1997 Appointed April 1, 1995Retired. Sonia Silva January 8, 1997 –January 10, 2001 90th91st Elected in 1996Re-elected in 1998Lost renomination.Suzana MendozaJanuary 10, 2001 –May 16, 2011 92nd93rd94th95th96thElected in 2000Re-elected in 2002Re-elected in 2004Re-elected in 2006Re-elected in 2008Re-elected in 2010Elected City Clerk of Chicago in 2011 and resigned her Representative seat97thVacant May 16, 2011 –May 2011 Dena M. CarliDemocratic May 2011 –January 9, 2013 Appointed in May 2011Retired.Daniel J. BurkeJanuary 9, 2013 –December 30, 2018 98th99thRedistricted from the 23rd Representative district and re-elected in 2012.Re-elected in 2014Re-elected in 2016Lost renomination and retired before the end of the 100th GA.100thVacant December 30, 2018 –January 9, 2019 Aaron OrtizDemocratic January 9, 2019 – present 101st102nd103rd Elected in 2018Re-elected in 2020Re-elected in 2022
Historic District Boundaries
Years County Municipalities/Townships Notes 2023 – presentCook Chicago (Archer Heights, Bridgeport, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, Garfield Ridge, McKinley Park, New City, West Elsdon), Forest View, Stickney 2013 – 2023 Chicago (Archer Heights, Brighton Park, Chicago Lawn, Garfield Ridge, New City, and West Elsdon), Forest View 2003 – 2013 Chicago 1993 – 2003 Chicago 1983 – 1993 Parts of Jefferson Township, parts of Lake View Township, parts of Niles Township, parts of Rogers Park Township, Chicago 1967 – 1973 Evanston Township, parts of Northfield Township, New Trier Township, parts of Niles Township 1957 – 1965 Bloom Township, Calumet Township, Rich Township, Thornton Township 1871 – 1873 Alexander Cairo, Dogtooth, Goose Island, Santa Fe, Thebes, Unity 1849 – 1871 AlexanderPulaskiUnion America, Cairo, Caledonia, Clear Creek, Cobden, Elvira, Fulton, Hamburg, Jonesboro, Mill Creek, Mound City, Mounds, Mount Pleasant, Napoleon, North Caledonia, Pulaski, Santa Fe, Thebes, Toledo, Trinity, Ullin, Union Point, Unity, Villa Ridge, Western Saratoga, Wetaug
Electoral history 2030 – 2022
2020 – 2012
2010 – 2002
2000 – 1992
1990 – 1982
1970 – 1962
1960 – 1956
Notes
References