Peoria Standard

A central Illinois lawmaker recently tried to remind Gov. J.B. Pritzker of his longtime promises to support fair maps and veto anything less — but the state's top executive has changed his position. 

"While running for office, Governor Pritzker promised to veto any partisan legislative maps and urged lawmakers to create an independent commission to handle redistricting," Illinois State House Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) said in an April 28 Facebook post. "Yesterday he went back on his word and made it clear that he will not be supporting fair maps in Illinois."

Spain's post came a day after an NPR Illinois news story that quoted Pritzker trying "to recast his previous statement" to suggest he doesn't mean now what he said then.

"I have also said that in order for us to have an independent commission, we needed to have a constitutional amendment — something that would actually change the way the process operates today in the Constitution," Pritzker said in the NPR news report. "That did not happen."

Republicans have been pushing for a new method to redistrict since they are the minority party in Illinois, and it is a redistricting year. Redistricting is typically led by the majority party, which in Illinois are the Democrats. 

Lawmakers must pass a new legislative map by June 30. If that doesn't happen, an eight-person bipartisan panel is supposed to be created. Should that group be locked in a tie, Illinois' Secretary of State would randomly choose a ninth member to break that tie.