Prairie State Wire

The Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition has joined the growing chorus of voices calling for residents to get involved to insure a fairer map redistricting process.

“Civic justice is about making sure that policy made for us is made with us, that we vote in elections held every year for ethical public leaders and for equitable redistricting.” Mariam Sayeed said in a video posted to YouTube by the coalition

While noting that Illinois is home to the largest per capita American Muslim population across the country, Sayeed added she can understand why so many elect to not become involved in the process.

“Residents often feel the system doesn’t work for them and their voice is not heard,” she said. “We have to get involved to insure that all of Illinois is truly represented.”

With U.S. Census Bureau data typically shared by the government for map redistricting not expected to be ready for this term’s once-in-a-decade task before a June 30 deadline, a growing number of Republican lawmakers are seizing the time to call for sweeping changes to the entire system in the name of a fairer process.

Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition stresses it’s imperative that the communities like those they speak for not get lost in the process.

“In Illinois, we have communities that did not exist in 2010, others that were not vocal about their needs and still others that have grown in the last ten years,” Sayeed said. “The Muslim community works for a better Illinois but they have little or no representation. The American story is diverse, with race, class and faith all intersecting. And when legislators are redistricting, these are critical aspects to consider.”

Republican lawmakers are now pushing the People’s Independent Map’s Act as the path to a fairer process. The measure would take politicians completely out of the equation of map drawing and leave the job to a 16-member independent citizen commission convened by the state Supreme Court.