A group working to change how Illinois’ state legislative districts maps are drawn is pushing for reform on redistricting laws again. A ruling by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mary Mikva in 2014 sent the creators of the Independent Map proposal back to the drawing board.
Their revised proposal would mean tighter standards for legislative districts and less power for Illinois’ legislative leaders.
Independent Maps, a nonpartisan coalition working to change how Illinois legislative maps are drawn, is seeking 600,000 petition signatures to get the Independent Map Act on the ballot as a constitutional amendment in November. Currently, the organization has 490,000 signatures.
On Jan. 22, Dave Mellet, campaign manager for Independent Maps, and Dr. Kent Redfield, professor emeritus of political studies and public affairs at University of Illinois Springfield, discussed the proposal in a presentation hosted by the Springfield Citizens Club.
Redfield says that “redistricting is about representation, making people present in decision making.” In Illinois, representation in a district depends on which party draws the map. Under the current Illinois Constitution, there are few restrictions on how legislative districts are drawn, which has led to years of gerrymandering – drawing maps that provide electoral advantage to one party. Redfield has worked with Cynthia Canary, executive director of Independent Maps, researching four decades of issues the current redistricting system causes as it relates to the lack of transparency, limited voter choices and the placement of political interests ahead of minority voting rights.
“It has created a long-term system of bias that discriminates and excludes people,” Redfield said. “This is not new.”
The Independent Map Act would amend the Illinois Constitution, allowing a nonpartisan 11-person commission to draw the maps for the Illinois General Assembly, instead of the majority party in the legislature controlling it. The commission comprises seven people selected by random draw of a panel appointed by the auditor general, and the final four being selected by the four legislative leaders – Speaker of the House, Senate President and minority leaders from the Senate and the House.
“Our mission is to draft an amendment for legislative districts in a fair and transparent way,” Mellet said.
The amendment was denied a spot on the ballot in the previous election cycle due to a ruling by Cook County Circuit Court Judge Mary Mikva that “the provisions went beyond changing the structure and procedure of the General Assembly in part by limiting members of the independent commission from running for the General Assembly.” At the time, the amendment was known as Yes for Independent Maps and was coupled with the organization’s efforts to end term limits, which was also deemed unconstitutional.
What makes this initiative more attractive for this year’s ballot? Mellet said the organization has since condensed its focus to the single issue of redistricting. The group has statewide editorial support for the proposal, had a six-month head start on collecting signatures and has effectively used online petitions, Mellet said.
If the Independent Map Act makes it to the general election ballot, voters will have a chance to weigh in on the potential change in Illinois political culture in November. In order for the amendment to be enacted into law, 60 percent of people voting in the election are needed.
Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office gave Illinois Times a statement of support for the concept under discussion: “Governor Rauner believes voters should choose legislators and not the other way around. He supports a constitutional amendment to give an independent commission the ability to draw fair and balanced legislative maps.”
Residents know that legislators have some tough decisions ahead of them in the upcoming session.
“I would hate to be a lawmaker today,” said Jim Forstall, retired associate director of the Illinois Board of Higher Education.
Bob Podlasek, a longtime Springfield resident added, “After 20 or 30 years of mismanagement, everyone’s going to lose; the question is how much more are you going to lose?” Mellet responds that “we can’t guarantee a perfect process, but we can guarantee a better process.”
