Momentum is growing to change the way political boundaries are drawn in Illinois, but disagreements about how to accomplish that persist. The problem is Illinois’ gerrymandered maps have been blamed for more than 60 percent of statehouse races only having one candidate in the 2016 general election. The existing process leaves the decision to the legislature, which is a partisan body. A previous citizen-led petition drive that garnered more than half-a-million signatures was thwarted in the courts in 2016 by a group connected to House Speaker Michael Madigan.
There are nine competing proposals to ask voters on the November ballot to change the way Illinois draws political maps.
The group Change Illinois said its proposed process is fair.
“We are strongly and very forcefully promoting minority protection rights,” Change Illinois’ Brad McMillan said. “We believe our state would be better off.”
Full Article: Nine competing proposals aim to change political map-making process | State Politics | ilnews.org.