Peoria Standard

Three federal lawsuits challenging redistricting maps that the governor signed into law earlier this year are expected to be heard in early December and a west central Illinois lawmaker is trying to get the word out.

State House Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) posted coverage of the hearing in a social media post earlier this week, quoting the first paragraph of a Capital News Illinois news story.

Gov. J.B. Pritzker | facebook.com/GovPritzker

"A three-judge federal court panel on Friday set the week of Dec. 6 as the time it will hear three consolidated cases challenging the new legislative district maps that were drawn by Democrats and signed into law by Gov. J.B. Pritzker earlier this year," Spain said in his Monday, Nov. 8 Facebook post.

U.S. District Judge Robert M. Dow Jr. said during a status conference Friday, Nov. 5, that the logistics have not all been ironed out but that the hearing most likely will be in-person in the ceremonial courtroom at the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago.

One of the challenges to the redistricting maps was filed by the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund while another is being pursued by the East St. Louis Branch of the NAACP and other civil rights groups. A third challenge was by Illinois State Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods), State House Republican Minority Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs) and their respective caucuses.  

The Illinois State Board of Elections, Senate President Don Harmon (D-Oak Park) and House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch (D-Westchester) are named as defendants in all the lawsuits.

Pritzker signed off on the redistricting maps in June, despite a campaign promise not to do so.

Spain's Facebook post is not the first time he has tried to shine a light on the Democrat-drawn maps. In September, Spain said U.S. census data confirmed that the maps were unconstitutional on both the state and federal levels.

Last summer, Spain pointed out his Democrat colleagues had blocked independent redistricting, saying in a Facebook post at the time that Democratic leaders were following the same playbook as in years prior, including steps to shut out independent redistricting.

Pritzker announced the in July that he would seek another term as governor. So far, his challengers are nurse and fellow Democrat Beverly Miles and six Republicans, including Illinois State Sen. Darren Bailey of Louisville, former Illinois State Sen. Paul Schimpf and U.S. Army veteran and former law enforcement officer Christopher Roper. 

Last summer, Pritzker signed Senate Bill 825 to move Illinois' primary election from March to June next year.

Spain has represented Illinois' 73rd House District since he first was elected to the seat in 2016. He previously spent a decade on Peoria City Council. In January, Durkin appointed Spain to Assistant Republican Leader. Spain had served the previous year as Republican Conference Chairman.

Spain was unopposed in his bid for reelection during last November's General Elections.

The 73rd House District includes Bureau, Marshall, Peoria, Stark and Woodford counties in west central Illinois.