Republicans continue to be frustrated with Governor JB Pritzker who has backtracked on a campaign promise not to impact legislative redistricting but to have an outside company do it. Republicans are accusing Pritzker of continuing the long line of corruption in Illinois politics. In 2018, when candidate JB Pritzker was running for office, he said he would veto any legislative redistricting map drawn by politicians.  

When asked about it, Governor Pritzker said he would pledge to veto, amending the constitution in order to create an independent commission to draw legislative maps and urging both Democrats and Republicans to agree to an independent commission to handle creating a new legislative map that reflected the gender, racial, and geographical diversities of Illinois. 

Last week, Governor Pritzker backed away from his campaign pledge saying that upon receiving a map drawn by the Democrats who control the General Assembly, that he would be looking to it for fairness. State Representative Avery Bourne says that she is disappointed.

Bourne also says that Governor Pritzker is still very angry that his tax proposal was defeated last November when Governor Pritzker blamed the loss on taxpayers for not trusting the government.

Meanwhile, Democrats are encouraging Illinois residents to provide their own input into redistricting by taking advantage of a new online map that people can submit proposed legislative boundaries in before May 10. The Public Drawing Portal can be accessed at www.ilsenateredistricting.com and www.ilhousedems.com/redistricting.  While each state has a unique process for redistricting, legislative districts must conform to several standards including the voting rights act of 1965. 

In Illinois, legislative redistricting maps must also meet four requirements including being substantially equal in population, provide adequate representation to minorities and other special interests, be compact and contiguous, and meet all legal requirements regarding political fairness.