Lake County Gazette

Senate Republican Leaders in Illinois introduced the People's Independent Maps Act that will allow legislative redistricting plans to be created by a nonpartisan commission rather than state politicians.

"The People's Independent Maps Act will ensure that politicians, including Gov. [J.B.] Pritzker, keep their promise to the people of Illinois to support an independent redistricting map," Don McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) said in a press release. 

The act would essentially remove lawmakers from the redistricting process. 

The senators spearheading the bill are House Republican Leader Jim Durkin (R-Western Springs), Rep. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods), House Assistant Minority Leader Tim Butler (R-Springfield) and Senate Republican Caucus Chair Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington).

"Under the current process, which was used by Democrats 10 years ago, voters have had fewer choices, and the Legislature is more unbalanced than ever," McConchie said in a GOP release. "The legislation moves Illinois from a broken system where politicians choose their voters to a process where the people choose their politicians."

That proposal has 37 co-sponsors in the Senate. A key element of the act is creating a 16-member commission the state Supreme Court appoints to lead the redistricting process. 

A similar nonpartisan commission amendment co-sponsored by now-Speaker of the House Chris Welch (D-Hillside) was approved in the House in 2016 with 105 yes votes.

"For years, we have continuously heard the Democrats talk about their support for a fair map process when it was politically advantageous, but have done nothing to advance the issue," Durkin said in a GOP news release.

Redistricting is necessary after each decennial census to adjust for population changes within district boundaries for the Illinois House and Senate.

Illinois has 118 House and 59 Senate districts. The Democrats have the majority in both chambers.