Lake County Gazette

Veteran state Sen. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) is urging lawmakers to listen to the cries of Illinois voters in the growing debate over redistricting.

“I just can't tell you how valuable this is,” McConchie said during a recent Chicago South Committee Senate Redistricting hearing. “This is the fifth hearing and while participation has been limited there have been a couple themes repeated across the state. The need for transparency ... witness after witness has been critical of the lack of transparency to date so far.”

With voters wanting to make sure they are heard on the issue, McConchie urged lawmakers to slow down the process, even if it means running past the June 30 deadline for remapping to be completed as more Census Bureau data is accurately tabulated and shared with the right parties.

“Instead of politicians using this process to protect their own political power, people should be able to choose their elected officials, not the other way around,” McConchie added. “The current process keeps politicians in complete control of the process and that I believe needs to change.”

After multiple witnesses told lawmakers they believe the process should be both more transparent and include greater community input, McConchie again felt compelled to take to the floor.

"We still have a lot of work to do to make sure that the public is truly engaged on this commission and overseeing how the process is working,” McConchie said.