Carbondale Reporter

Discussions about redistricting are underway in Illinois, and there are a few individuals who aren’t happy with the way things are going. The state has held redistricting hearings throughout the state, and neither the public nor legislators appear to be happy with the process.

Although Democrats once voiced support for Fair Maps, Rep. Paul Jacobs (R-Carbondale) sees them turning away, and he says that his constituents are tired of political games.

“I am disappointed that the Democrats appear to be backing away from their support of Fair Maps but I am not really all that surprised. The legislative remap process has always been a partisan process and as the saying goes it is hard to teach an old dog new tricks,” said Jacobs, who was elected to represent Illinois' 115th district last November. “It is easy to be critical of the Democrats for wanting to draw a legislative map that favors them, but the truth is that if the Republicans had the ability to get a Republican map signed into law, they would do the same thing. If we want to get rid of the politics in the remap process we need an independent commission drawing the maps. As long as partisans are drawing the maps the maps will be partisan.”

Partisan maps would not stand a chance in Illinois if Gov. J.B. Pritzker keeps a campaign promise he made in 2018.  During his run for office in 2018, Pritzker said that he would veto a redistricting map “in any way drafted or created by legislators, political party leaders, and/or their staffs or allies.” 

WCIA News reports that Pritzker has recently signaled his support for redistricting maps drawn before the full census data is out.

This sounds like what Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) says attendees of redistricting hearings are asking for.  In early April, she said that attendees of hearings for Kankakee and Will Counties have asked for transparency, and for legislators to slow down.

“Witness after witness has been critical of the lack of transparency in this process. That includes requests for more robust public engagement, more notice of hearings and for answers on how the public can draw their maps and what data we should be using," said Rezin. "What we've heard from witnesses is that if you want true engagement, then slow the process down," she said. "There's no need to rush and pass maps with inaccurate data by June 30 when the real constitutional deadline is not until October. Witnesses have said, repeatedly, we need to use the delay on the census data as an opportunity to make this process better, an opportunity to truly engage the citizens of the state and allow better participation."

The redistricting process happens once every 10 years as the census data is updated. Instead of the majority party setting the map, Republicans are suggesting that an independent body be used to create the maps for the next decade.

Generally, the maps are expected to be finished by June 30, after new census data is released, but that data has been delayed. It does not appear that Illinois will extend the redistricting deadline of June 30, as House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch has said that the maps will be drawn and on Pritzker’s desk by the June 30 deadline so that an independent commission does not have to draw the new maps.