Illinois GOP pushing for redistricting

Posted on March 21, 2017
Illinois Legislative Map
Citizen led redistricting reform initiatives have failed. (Adam Studzinski/WJBC)

By RFD News Network

SPRINGFIELD – State Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) is among a chorus of House Republicans seeking to change the way Illinois political maps are drawn.

Butler is co-sponsoring a House Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment to create an Independent Redistricting Commission.

“In both 2014 and 2016 citizen led initiatives to get a constitutional amendment on the ballot were thwarted by Speaker Madigan and his allies, very honestly,” said Butler. “Over a million people have signed the petitions to get redistricting reform on the ballot.”

The proposal calls for the selection of Commissioners and establishes the authority of a Special Commissioner to design a redistricting plan in the event that the Commission fails to properly adopt and file a redistricting plan. The measure would be effective beginning with redistricting in 2021 and applies to members elected in 2022 and thereafter.

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