Prairie State Wire

Illinois Republicans insist recently released U.S. Census Bureau data makes clear that the redistricting plan pushed through by Democrats stands in violation of the U.S. Constitution and federal law.  

“Just as we predicted, the maps that were drawn by Illinois Democrats in a closed room and without public input, and signed by Governor Pritzker, have proven to be unusable and unlawful given the release of the U.S. Census data,” House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) said in a press release posted to Twitter. “It is now up to the Legislative Redistricting Commission to draw the fair maps our state so desperately needs.”

GOP lawmakers also contend H.B. 2777, which creates the General Assembly Redistricting Act of 2021, stands in violation of the state constitution, stemming from the fact no redistricting plan was in place by a June 30 deadline. The state constitution stipulates the task of redrawing the maps should be handled by a bipartisan commission if no plan is in place by the early summer deadline.

After warning their Democratic colleagues that their redistricting efforts would lead to problems, Republicans are now seeking to have HB 2777 voided, meaning it was never in force or effect.

“Despite bipartisan pleas to wait for the Census numbers like 48 other states, Illinois Democratic politicians that were led by Gov. Pritzker ignored the voting rights of their own constituents in an attempt to hold absolute power for another decade,” said Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods). “By breaking his promise and signing this map that has now been proven to be widely inaccurate, Gov. Pritzker once again sided with political insiders against the people of Illinois.”

After Pritzker vowed while still a candidate to veto any redistricting map drawn along partisan lines, Republicans have recently introduced at least two bills aimed at establishing an independent redistricting committee that never really got off the ground.  

“Democrat leaders have had multiple opportunities to change the map-making process over the years, including several this session, but the majority party has chosen to follow the same old playbook by blocking any effort for independent redistricting,” Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) posted on Facebook earlier this summer.

Freshman state Rep. Jackie Haas (R-Bourbonnais) is even more blunt in her assessment.

"The legislative maps signed into law by Gov. Pritzker are overtly gerrymandered for political gain," she told the Grundy Reporter. "They were drawn by Democrats behind closed doors, using flawed and incomplete data. Those are not my opinions, but indisputable facts. No, these maps are not fair."

One of the bills previously introduced by Republicans, Senate Bill 1325, also known as the People’s Independent Maps Act, sought to completely remove politicians from the task of redistricting and place the power in the hands of a commission that reflects the state’s demographics.