North Cook News

The new proposed judicial subcircuit maps for Cook County appear to be raising some red flags for leaders in minority communities who prefer the original intent of the subcircuits' representation.

Chanda Taing, assistant director for the Cambodian Association of Illinois, was one of several people who spoke out against the proposed map during a Dec. 16 House and Senate Joint Redistricting committee hearing. 

"On behalf of the Cambodia community in the metropolitan Chicago area, specifically those who live in Skokie, Martingrove, Golf, Glenview, and Niles, I'd like to express our concerns with the proposed Cook County boundaries," Taing said during the hearing. "The subcircuits were established to ensure representation for smaller communities such as the Cambodian community. They have helped to diversify the bench, and we hope they will continue to do so."

Taing addressed the committee about his worries that the map as it was introduced would "split" municipal, ethnic, and religious communities, specifically those in the villages of Skokie, Lincolnwood, Martingrove, Golf, Glenview, and Niles who already work together to support Niles Township and share a joint high school district. 

"The Jewish community is an important community that is diverse representation. The Orthodox community requires being within walking distance of the synagogue in Niles Township. Those communities should be respected as a unit community of interest," Taing said.

He told lawmakers he opposed the maps as they were introduced, as does the community he was representing.

"We request effort to amend the boundaries to include Niles Township and the Asian American and Jewish communities," he added. 

According to the Illinois Periodicals Online, the goal of the subcircuits when they were first introduced in the 1990s was to put more minority judges on the bench and remove politics from the process. 

The proposed new map was unveiled by Democratic lawmakers on Dec. 13, a press release published on CapitolFax.com stated. 

The press release noted that under the proposal, the number of subcircuits in Cook County would jump from 15 to 20.