Carbondale Reporter

Being a member of the House Redistricting Committee, state Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) has attended several redistricting hearings and would always ask witnesses if their community is fairly represented.

One of the hearings she attended was in Carbondale where she was able to speak with Dr. Linda Flowers of the NAACP and Roger Kerley from Polaski County.

“Dr. Flowers…When you were talking about the district where you reside in, you talked about it being tailored for an incumbent or tailored for one political party, this is something that we have had concerns about as well,” Bourne said. “Mr. Kerley, you want a map that represents rural communities. I understand that well. We've heard that the American Community Survey's data undercounts those populations. Is that something you are concerned about as well?”

Both witnesses emphasized that they hope for a redistricting process that would not put minority populations behind. Kerley affirmed that they are worried about being underrepresented in the American Community Survey.

Bourne has been advocating for an independent process that would result “in fair representation for all residents of Illinois’” but has said that “it won’t happen if the governor isn’t willing to keep his word.” She has been working with U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Illinois) and state Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) with regard to urging Pritzker to keep his word.

She – together with Davis and Butler – has recently held a press conference to urge Pritzker to keep his pledge  to veto any redistricting map that is drawn by politicians.