Illinois's 8th 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 La Shawn Ford since January 10, 2007. The district was previously represented by Democrat Calvin Giles from 1993 to 2007.
Located in the Chicago metropolitan area, the district includes parts of Berwyn, Broadview, Chicago, Cicero, Countryside, Forest Park, Hodgkins, La Grange, La Grange Park, North Riverside, Oak Park, Westchester, Western Springs and parts of the Chicago neighborhood of Austin.
Representative district history
Prominent representatives Representative NotesJesse White Elected the 37th Illinois Secretary of State (1999 – 2023)
List of representatives 1849 – 1854 Representative Party Years General Assembly (GA) Electoral history Counties represented7th Representative district established with 1848 Illinois Constitution. William PickeringWhig January 1, 1849 –January 3, 1853 16th17th Redistricted from Edwards County House District and re-elected in 1848Re-elected in 1850Was not re-elected in 1852.EdwardsWabash Victor B. Bell January 3, 1853 –January 1, 1855 18th Elected in 1852Was not re-elected in 1854.1854 Reapportionment now gives the district two Representatives to elect cumulatively.
1854 – 1871 Representative Party Party Control Years General Assembly (GA) Electoral history Counties represented1854 Reapportionment now gives the district two Representatives to elect cumulatively. Hugh GreggDemocratic2 DemocratsJanuary 1, 1855 –January 5, 185719thElected in 1854Was not re-elected in 1856.HamiltonJeffersonMarion T. B. Tanner John A. Wilson January 5, 1857 –January 3, 1859 20th Elected back in 1856Was not re-elected in 1858. William B. Anderson January 5, 1857 –January 7, 1861 20th21st Elected in 1856Re-elected in 1858Was not re-elected in 1860. John McElvaine January 3, 1859 –January 7, 1861 21st Elected in 1858Was not re-elected in 1860. Cyrus W. WebsterUnknown2 UnknownsJanuary 7, 1861 –January 5, 186322ndElected in 1860Was not re-elected in 1862. Cloyd Crouch Samuel MoffattUnknownJanuary 5, 1863 –January 2, 186523rdElected in 1862Was not re-elected in 1864.MonroeRandolphPerry Edmund Menard Austin JamesDemocratic2 Democrats January 2, 1865 –January 7, 1867 24th Elected in 1864Was not re-elected in 1866. William K. Murphy January 2, 1865 –January 4, 1869 24th25th Elected in 1864Re-elected in 1866Was not re-elected in 1868. John Campbell Unknown 1 Democrat1 Unknown January 7, 1867 –January 4, 1869 25th Elected in 1866Was not re-elected in 1868. Thomas H. BurgessRepublican2 RepublicansJanuary 4, 1869 –January 4, 187126thElected in 1868Was not re-elected in 1870. John M. McCutcheon1870 Reapportionment now gives the district only 1 Representative.
1871 – 1873 Representative Party Years General Assembly (GA) Electoral history Counties represented1870 Reapportionment now gives the district only 1 Representative. William ElderDemocratic January 4, 1871 –January 8, 1873 27th Elected back in 1870Was not re-elected in 1872. SalineDistrict 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. Esther SapersteinDemocratic2 Democrats1 RepublicanJanuary 9, 1957 –January 6, 196570th71st72nd73rd Elected in 1956Re-elected in 1958Re-elected in 1960Re-elected in 1962Redistricted to At-large district and re-elected in 1964.Cook Michael F. ZlatnikRepublican Elected in 1956Re-elected in 1958Re-elected in 1960Re-elected in 1962Did not run in At-large election and retired. Paul ElwardDemocratic Elected in 1956Re-elected in 1958Re-elected in 1960Re-elected in 1962Redistricted to At-large district and re-elected in 1964.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. Jack E. WalkerRepublican2 Republicans1 Democrat January 4, 1967 –January 13, 1971 75th76th Elected back in 1966Re-elected in 1968Elected state Senator in the 8th Legislative District in 1970.Cook John W. ThompsonJanuary 4, 1967 –January 10, 197375th76th77th Elected in 1966Re-elected in 1968Re-elected in 1970Retired. Anthony ScarianoDemocratic Redistricted from At-large District and won re-election in 1966Re-elected in 1968Re-elected in 1970Ran for state Senator in the 9th Legislative District and lost in 1972. Lynn BrenneRepublican January 13, 1971 –January 10, 1973 77th Elected in 1970Redistricted to the 9th Legislative District and lost re-election in 1972.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 with representatives now elected one per district with the passage of the Cutback AmendmentJesse WhiteDemocraticJanuary 12, 1983 –December 1, 1992 83rd84th85th86thRedistricted from the 13th Legislative District and re-elected in 1982Re-elected in 1984Re-elected in 1986Re-elected in 1988Re-elected in 1990Elected Cook County Recorder of Deeds and resigned his Representative seat in 1992.Cook87thVacant December 1, 1992 –January 13, 1993 Robert LeFloreDemocratic January 13, 1993 –May 3, 199388th Redistricted from the 13th Representative District and re-elected in 1992Died in 1993.Vacant May 3, 1993 –May 1993 Calvin GilesDemocratic May 1993 –January 10, 2007 88th89th90th91st92nd93rd94th Appointed in 1993Elected in 1994Re-elected in 1996Re-elected in 1998Re-elected in 2000Re-elected in 2002Re-elected in 2004Lost renomination in 2006.La Shawn Ford January 10, 2007 –present 95th96th97th98th99th100th101st102nd103rd Elected in 2006Re-elected in 2008Re-elected in 2010Re-elected in 2012Re-elected in 2014Re-elected in 2016Re-elected in 2018Re-elected in 2020Re-elected in 2022
Historic District Boundaries
Years County Municipalities/Townships Notes 2023 – presentCook Berwyn, Broadview, Chicago (Austin), Cicero, Countryside, Forest Park, Hodgkins, La Grange, La Grange Park, North Riverside, Oak Park, Westchester, Western Springs 2013 – 2023 Berwyn, Brookfield, Chicago (Austin), Forest Park, La Grange, La Grange Park, North Riverside, Oak Park 2003 – 2013 1993 – 2003 Chicago 1983 – 1993 Chicago 1967 – 1973 Bloom Township, Rich Township, parts of Thornton Township 1957 – 1965 Chicago 1871 – 1873 Saline Bankston, Eldorado, Gallatia, Harrisburg, Hartford, Independence, Mitchellsville, Raleigh, Saline City, Somerset, South America, Whitesville 1863 – 1871 MonroeRandolphPerry Appleton, Blair, Burksville, Chester, Cobb, Columbia, Coulterville, Denmark, Du Quoin, Eagle Cliff, Eden, Evansville, Florence, Freedom, Galum, Georgetown, Glasgow City, Grande Cole, Harrisonville, Holt Prairie, Iowa, Jones Creek, Jordan Grove, Kaskaskia, Liberty, Maysville, Mitchie, Monroe City, Morrison, Mt. Hawkins, Old Du Quoin, Pinckneyville, Pleasant Shade, Pollacks, Prairie du Rocher, Preston, Randolph, Red Bud, Renault, Ruma, St. Johns, Smith's Landing, Sparta, Steuben, Tamaroa, Waterloo 1855 – 1863 HamiltonJeffersonMarion Bear Creek, Belle Prairie (Belle Prairie City), Blissville, Centralia, Elkton, Farina, Farrington, Fosters, Fredericktown, Griswold, Hickory Hill, Jefferson, Jefferson City, Jordans Prairie, Junction (Junction City), Kinmundy, Lanes Roads, Logansport, Lovilla, Lynchburg, McLeansboro, Middleton, Moores Prairie, Mount Vernon, Odin, Palo Alto, Patoka, Ponti, Racoon, Rome, Salem, Sandoval, Spring Garden, Walnut Hill 1849 – 1855 EdwardsWabash Albion, Armstrong, Centreville, Grayville, McChenes Bluff, Mier, Mills Prairie, Mount Carmel, Oxford, Palmyra, Rochester Mills (Rochester)
Electoral history 2030 – 2022
2020 – 2012
2010 – 2002
2000 – 1992
1990 – 1982
1970 – 1962
1960 – 1956
Notes
References