Prairie State Wire

Every 10 years, the legislative districts of Illinois are reworked to accommodate for changing population numbers and other demographics. 

This year's remapping has been met with many complications, including the COVID-19 pandemic, skepticism that the Democrats controlling Illinois' statehouse are remapping the districts without sinister motives and delays in the U.S. Census data that should be used for the process. 

As lawmakers scramble to meet the June 30 remapping deadline, many questioned why the politicians wouldn't let the task fall to an independent committee of bipartisan residents or ask the court to extend the deadline. 

"We could have moved that constitutional deadline of June 30," Jay Young of Chicago-based Common Cause said in an April 13 report from WTTW Chicago. We could move the primaries in the spring. We could move the filing deadlines for candidates. We just chose not to, I think for political reasons." Common Cause is an ethics and reform grassroots group,

Although Gov. J.B. Pritzker promised during his campaign that he would veto an unfair map proposal for this decade's redistricting, skeptics worry that the governor will change his tune now that the time has come. WCIA News reported on April 12 that Gov. Pritzker had indicated his support of the new maps drawn by Democrats before the Illinois census data was complete; the news station called this change of heart "the biggest flip-flop of [Pritzker's] political career."

Common Cause's website states the organization supports fair maps to provide complete, accurate counts of all communities with the protection of racial minorities, accessibility to decision-makers and use of improved Census data. 

After reportedly spending $31.5 million to ensure the most left-behind and forgotten demographics are heard, Young said he knows the legislators care about their constituents, but they are more focused on being reelected "this year and the year after that."

"What we are doing right now will set the tone for the next decade in Illinois," Young said. "Figuring out who represents your interests and how you are really defining what your community is."