SPRINGFIELD – McHenry County as of Wednesday has eight faces representing it in the General Assembly, courtesy of Democratic-dominated post-census redistricting.

Whether this will magnify the county’s voice in Springfield or weaken it – Crystal Lake is divided among three House and three Senate districts – will be seen over the next two years.

The 98th General Assembly was sworn in at noon Wednesday, not even a full day after the lame-duck session of the 97th failed to come close to getting a handle on the state’s ballooning $96 billion unfunded pension liability.