(The Center Square) – A newly proposed Illinois constitutional amendment would change the way legislative and representative districts are drawn in the state. Republican state lawmakers strongly oppose the measure they say would further corrupt district maps that are already illegal.
HJRCA 28 was filed by Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch, D-Westchester, Monday. It would set in place a list of priorities that must be considered when drawing new district maps.
The proposal – if passed by the state House of Representatives – would be left up to Illinois voters in the November midterm elections.
According to the filing, the priorities in order are for all districts to have near-equal populations; to provide equal opportunity for all citizens, regardless of race; the creation of districts with racial minority influence; and for district borders to be unbroken and compact.
Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, said Democrats proposed the measure in direct response to a lawsuit over the current district map that Republicans lost last year.
Welch pushed back on Spain’s claim about the lawsuit, saying the current map is legal.
“As you know, as we all know, your claims are unfounded. Our maps are constitutional, they are legal and they are representative of our state,” Welch said.
Spain said the loss was only due to a technicality on the timeliness of the lawsuit, which came nearly four years after maps had been drawn and approved by the Gov. J.B. Pritzker.
Rep. Amy Elik, R-Alton, said Pritzker hasn’t kept the promise he made as a candidate to veto such partisan district maps.
“Voters in every state should pick their representatives, not the other way around. The people of Illinois deserve fair maps, real transparency, and leaders who keep their word,” Elik said.
As the trio of lawmakers spoke to the media, Democrats on the House floor attempted to waive the posting requirements for multiple resolutions, including the redistricting amendment, at once – without discussion of the subject or explanation to lawmakers.
The waiving was challenged by Republicans, but was ultimately passed, sending the proposal to the House Executive Committee – on which Spain serves and Ugaste sat in place of another lawmaker.
Welch gave the Democrats’ first real reasoning for the proposal late Tuesday, where he said it is to preempt a potential repeal of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
“This Supreme Court is poised to dismantle these protections, and when it does, some states will quickly undertake new gerrymandering schemes aimed at stripping away Black, latino, and other minority representation” Welch said.
Spain and Ugaste grilled the speaker, but Welch often responded by referring back to the language in the proposal.
Asked about the use of vague language, Welch said the legislature would address specifics when clarity is needed. Republican legislators said the language could allow certain priorities, such as contiguity and compactness of districts, to be skipped over completely.
The new effort by state Democrats comes as many states around the nation have moved on mid-decade redistricting, as recently as this week in Virginia, where voters were given the option for the state to redistrict.
Spain said his caucus is staunchly against gerrymandering from either side of the aisle, and criticized recent national efforts from both parties.
“Whether it’s done as is attempted today by Abigail Spanberger in Virginia, some of the most egregious gerrymandering that we’ve ever seen at the congressional level in the nation, or if it’s what’s happened here at home – time and time again at a state legislative level – it’s wrong,” Spain said.
Welch noted this proposal is not what has happened in other states over the past year.
“What we’re proposing is vastly different than what’s happening in Virginia and what’s happened in other states across the country,” Welch said.
The redistricting the lawmakers discussed is a push to redistrict states mid-cycle, kicked off when President Donald Trump suggested Republican-led states should do so, with hopes of gaining more advantage in the midterms.
Texas became the first state to answer Trump’s call, to which California voters approved a similar emergency redistricting effort to counteract Texas’ possible Republican seat gain.
North Carolina, Ohio, Missouri and Utah have all also redrawn their maps in the past year. The Illinois proposal, however, would not grant such mid-decade powers to Illinois lawmakers.
The deadline for the legislature to approve constitutional amendments is May 3, but the House is only in session through Thursday this week and the vote needs a three-fifths majority in order to pass.
