Sen. Dan McConchie | Facebook
Sen. Dan McConchie | Facebook
Burton Raabe wants Illinois lawmakers to think of the big picture as they take on the task of redrawing the state’s voting maps for the next decade.
“We know the districts have been drawn in Springfield by legislators in consideration with keeping power,” Raabe, a professional counselor in Peoria, told the state lawmakers during a recent House Redistricting Committee hearing focused on the area. “Density is probably more than the districts that are drawn. If we just draw this right-up to 150, you know that’ll give the Democrats a district. I just think it produces cynicism.”
Republicans are hoping that delayed data from the Census Bureau will give them a window to set up new rules.
Typically the task of map redrawing is left in the hands of the party in power but with this year’s added wrinkle, Republican lawmakers are pushing for a revamping of the entire system in the name of assuring a fairer process.
With that in mind, a growing number of GOP legislators are now pushing the People’s Independent Maps Act, a measure that would give the state Supreme Court the power to appoint 16 independent citizens to a redistricting commission within 30 days of passage. The members would be equally split politically.
Filed by Republican state Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Lake Zurich), Senate Bill 1325 has now been referred to the Assignments Committee.
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