Lake County Gazette

State Rep. Dan McConchie (R-Hawthorn Woods) wants to see Gov. J.B. Pritzker honor his word when it comes to the red-hot issue of map redistricting.

“It is time that Gov. Pritzker kept his promise he has made over and over to the people of Illinois and that promise is to support an independent map process for redistricting,” McConchie said during a recent press conference posted to YouTube. “As a candidate, he told voters that he would support an independent commission, not incumbent politicians to draw legislative boundaries.”

McConchie is among the Republican lawmakers now accusing Pritzker of having gone back on his word when it comes to his pledge.

“Well, as I said, I will veto an unfair map,” Pritzker recently shared. “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 (Illinois) Constitution. That did not happen. So now, as we reach the end of this session and I look to the legislature for their proposal for a redistricting map, I’ll be looking to it for its fairness.”

McConchie said Pritzker’s stance can make all the difference.

“Right now, he is simply running away into the darkness of partisan politics,” he said. “We have had 16 citizen commissions and sent him three letters asking him to appear and he has so far refused to attend any of these hearings or send anyone from his administration. Public polls have shown more than 75 percent of Illinois voters support an independent process that puts citizens in control of drawing legislative districts instead of politicians.

McConchie added he hopes voters keep demanding answers from Democratic lawmakers and the governor.

“I would urge Democrats and Republicans to agree to an independent commission to handle redistricting maps,” he said. “If the governor is going to continue to refuse to testify, the people of Illinois deserve to know why he is breaking his promise.”