Chicago, IL (October 20, 2026) — On October 20, the Muslim Civic Coalition joined the Chicago Redistricting Ordinance Forum alongside Alderman Daniel La Spata, CHANGE Illinois, and Common Cause. The proposed ordinance aims to create a fairer, more transparent process for redrawing Chicago’s ward map ahead of the 2031 cycle. Coalition representatives joined residents of the First Ward to discuss how past redistricting has affected their neighborhoods and what a better process could look like. Some participants were new to the mechanics of redistricting; others spoke from direct experience of divided communities and diminished accountability.
The Coalition provided input and participated in the conversation. Fair maps are not abstract. They determine whether our communities can organize, be heard, and hold leaders accountable.
The Muslim Civic Coalition is a nonpartisan community advocacy organization that fights for civic justice and builds community power. From who represents us to how our tax dollars are spent to what our kids learn, we make sure Illinois Muslims have a say in the decisions that shape our lives. We do this through public policy, voter education, research, and leadership development.
Redistricting is one of those decisions. Muslim voices are already underrepresented in the policies that affect our communities. Illinois has the largest Muslim population per capita of any state—more than 400,000 Muslims, close to 4% of residents by some estimates. Cook County is home to the largest share, and much of that community lives in Chicago. Within the city, Muslims make up at least 2% of residents, double the national share.
Our communities are concentrated in neighborhoods with shared needs: on the North Side in West Ridge, Albany Park, North Park, and Lincoln Square, and on the Southwest Side in Chicago Lawn, Gage Park, West Lawn, and Ashburn. When ward lines slice these neighborhoods apart, our presence is divided until no single alderperson feels accountable to it. Issues that matter to the community go unheard. Democracy works only when our voices are counted and our neighborhoods remain intact. Providing input now is essential so that the next map does not further diminish our communities’ ability to be heard.
Get involved:
Learn more about the Redistricting Ordinance from CHANGE Illinois.
View current redistricting information from the City of Chicago.
If you live in one of the neighborhoods named above, or care about keeping communities whole, we need your voice. Contact the Muslim Civic Coalition to learn how to plug into upcoming redistricting conversations and ensure our communities are not sliced apart in the next map. Our power is in showing up.
