Palos Park Moves From 13th to 3rd Congressional District Under New Map

New congressional district boundaries signed into law by Gov. Pat Quinn on Friday will move Palos Park from the 13th Illinois Congressional District into the 3rd Congressional District – that is if Republicans don't get their way after a challenge.

Rep. Daniel Lipinski (D-3rd) will now represent Palos Park in Washington, D.C., instead of Rep. Judy Biggert (R-13th). The 13th District vanished from the Southland all together and moved downstate, to include Champaign and Bloomington, stretching southwest to St. Louis.

The 3rd District picked up more than just Palos Park. It now covers many more communities to the west, including Orland Park, Orland Hills, Homer Glen, Lemont, Romeoville, Lockport and Crest Hill.

Palos Heights also remains the same, represented by the 1st Congressional District east of Harlem Avenue and the 3rd District on the west side. Palos Heights will continue to be represented by Lipinski on the west side and Rep. Bobby Rush (D-1st) on the east.

There are no changes for Palos Hills under the new congressional map as the city will still be represented entirely by Lipinski.

“It's good news – we still have just a single congressman to work with,” Palos Hills Mayor Gerald Bennet said. “We are kind of near the heart of the district anyway, so it's not surprising there were no changes.”

New congressional maps are drawn every 10 years following updated U.S. Census data, but Republicans were not pleased with the map Quinn approved.

Republican members of the Illinois Congressional delegation today issued a statement after Quinn signed into law the Democrat proposal to re-draw boundaries.

“We are disappointed that Gov. Quinn chose to sign into law this flawed map, thereby proving that his actions do not match his rhetoric,” Republican lawmakers said in the statement. “Gov. Quinn said that the way in which district lines are drawn contributes to the success of our democracy. Yet the map he approved seeks to reverse the results of a democratic election. Gov. Quinn advocated for a fair and open process. Instead, he has guaranteed an unfair and closed one.”

Republicans also said that they will challenge the new map in court and “do not believe it will stand.”

“I have carefully reviewed the congressional redistricting map. This map is fair, maintains competitiveness within congressional districts, and protects the voting rights of minority communities," Quinn said according to the Chicago Tribune.

Officials from from Palos Heights and Palos Park were not immediately available for comment.