By Greg Bishop/Illinois Radio Network
SPRINGFIELD – The outcome of a U.S. Supreme Court case on gerrymandering may not be known until early next year, but many want change in Illinois regardless of the outcome.
Justices heard oral arguments Tuesday in Washington, D.C., in the case that originated out of Wisconsin, marking the first time the court has taken up political mapmaking abuses in more than a decade.
Jeff Raines, communications director for political reform group Change Illinois, said regardless of the court’s decision, Illinois residents need to put the pressure on state lawmakers to bring about changes here sooner rather than later.
“Whether that’s adding independence to the current legislative redistricting commission,” Raines said, “making the commission an independent redistricting commission or any other prospective changes, will require additional time and additional public pressure.”
Political maps, like the boundaries of state legislative districts, are redrawn every 10 years after the release of new U.S. Census data. In Illinois, that process has been controlled by majority Democrats for the past 20 years.
Several attempts to change Illinois’ process through voter-led ballot initiatives were struck down. Most recently, a petition drive last year gathered half a million signatures and was approved by the Illinois State Board of Elections, but an attorney with connections to high-ranking Illinois Democrats including House Speaker Michael Madigan sued and got the effort blocked by the state Supreme Court.
State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said he and other state lawmakers have for years tried to get measures passed in the General Assembly to change the process, but the Democrat majority never allows them to move. He said something has to change.
“The [U.S.] Supreme Court can do what the Supreme Court is gonna do,” Rose said, “but my hope is that they will finally give the states some rules to play by and those should start with putting an end to this poisonous partisanship that is gerrymandering.”
Along with others, Rose filed an amicus brief to the court in favor of ending partisan gerrymandering.
The Wisconsin case that the nation’s high court heard dealt with Democrats complaining the Republicans in that state draw maps to help Republicans. In Illinois, Democrats draw the maps.
Raines said abusing the map-making process is nonpartisan.
“Whichever party is currently drawing the lines and currently controlling the process, they have every vested interest in keeping that power and that hurts everyone across the political spectrum,” Raines said.
Rose said it’s not about politics.
“It doesn’t really matter what party it is,” Rose said. “Take your Republican-Democrats hats off, it’s just not right. People in Illinois deserve their state back.”
Rose said instead of politicians picking their voters, it should be voters picking their politicians.
Gov. Bruce Rauner said Tuesday that Illinois’ political system is broken and there needs to be dramatic change. He said alongside economic reforms and term limits, there needs to be a fair map-making process.
Last year, former President Barack Obama told the Illinois legislature they need to reform the state’s map-making process. And a national group demanding fair maps includes such names as former California governor and Hollywood action star Arnold Schwarzenegger.
