What is at Stake
An accurate count of Illinois’ population is essential to ensure that the State receives the funding it needs to properly care for its residents and provide critical services and programs. In 2015, Illinois received $19,738,866,367, or approximately $1,535 per capita, in federal assistance for sixteen programs. The failure to count every Illinois resident would have devastating effects on Illinois’ ability to meet the needs of its residents. Even a one-percent undercount would result in the State losing $19,557,435 per year for a decade, resulting in a total loss of $195,574,350.
As important, the number of seats Illinois has in the U.S. House of Representatives for the next 10 years will be determined by the census count in 2020. Illinoisans deserve proportionate representation in the U.S. Congress, and a fair and accurate census count is how we ensure that happens.
Finally, state and local governments will use census data to redraw electoral maps in order to align with the principle "one person, one vote". Our own state’s legislative maps will be re-drawn, and this will impact the size and make-up of each district in the Illinois General Assembly.