1964 Illinois House of Representatives election

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/1964-illinois-house-of-representatives-election

1. What is the election date?
2. What is the legislative body?
3. What was special about the 1964 Illinois House election?
4. Why did Illinois have to hold an at‑large election instead of normal district elections?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the election date?November 3, 1964
2. What is the legislative body?74th Illinois General Assembly, House of Representatives (all 177 seats)
3. What was special about the 1964 Illinois House election?It was the only time all 177 seats were voted for at once across the whole state, not by districts.
4. Why did Illinois have to hold an at‑large election instead of normal district elections?The state had not redrawn district lines for over 50 years, and the legislature and commission couldn't agree, so the constitution said an at‑large election would happen.

At-large election: An electoral system where candidates are elected by voters of the entire jurisdiction, rather than by voters within specific geographic districts.
Redistricting: The process of redrawing the boundaries of electoral districts to ensure equal population and representation, typically occurring after a census.
Plurality block voting: An electoral system where voters can vote for multiple candidates, and the candidates with the most votes (plurality) win the available seats.
Two-thirds supermajority: A voting threshold requiring at least two-thirds of the members to be present and voting in favor to pass a measure, often used for overriding vetoes or amending the constitution.