Map day in the Senate
Thursday, May 19, 2011 - Posted by Rich Miller
* While we await the Senate Democrats’ unveiling of their new map proposal this morning, let’s take a look at Rick Pearson’s quite good backgrounder on the redistricting process…
On Wednesday, Madigan held back-to-back meetings with his Latino and African-American members to go over details of the new map. He said some “slight” changes were being made.
Both parties set up public map rooms for interest groups to offer suggested district boundaries. But the real decisions are still being done in that locked office suite in Springfield.
Rank-and-file Democrats have been summoned to the map room, dominated by a large flat-screen TV monitor hooked up to a computer, to discuss the outlines of their districts, according to sources who are familiar with the room but not authorized to speak publicly about it. No papers are allowed to be taken out. No one can bring in a flash drive to hook up to the computer for fear of a virus or the removal of sensitive information.
The computer is loaded with census data files — information about race, ethnicity, voting age — for each of the state’s more than 11,000 voting precincts and thousands more smaller census tabulation blocks. And Democrats also are using separate detailed information about partisan turnout in each precinct, purchased with some of the $1.5 million allotted to Democrats for redistricting.
“You can manipulate the lines and at the bottom of the screen, you can automatically see how many Democrats or Republicans are in a potential district,” said one Democrat who has seen part of the remap process.
Go read the whole thing. Barring any glitches, we should have some hard data at around 9 o’clock.
- Wow - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 5:15 am:
At least the public had plenty of opportunity for imput, Great job redistricting committee and especially senator Raoul!!!
- speechless - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 7:00 am:
“And Democrats also are using separate detailed information about partisan turnout in each precinct, purchased with some of the $1.5 million allotted to Democrats for redistricting.”
Ok, what the heck? Please tell me the Democrats weren’t allowed to use TAXPAYER MONEY to purchase partisan turnout data so they can gerrymander more effectively. That just seems wildly unethical.
- Wowie Owie - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 7:19 am:
Yes, Wow. I agree!
Great job, redistricting committee, fooling people into thinking that the Dems would give two shakes about what those people had to say! Lots of show, but when it comes down to it, same song and dance. Same backroom shenanigans.
Take the blinders off, son!!!
- Anonish - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 7:20 am:
@speechless I would find it weird if they had to purchase data that the state board of elections already keeps track of from primary election turn out.
- Zoble21 - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 7:29 am:
Public had no say in this map…as past maps it is all about keeping Madigan and Cullerton in power, not helping any other group. No changes in Illinois!
- wordslinger - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 7:48 am:
–Public had no say in this map…as past maps it is all about keeping Madigan and Cullerton in power, not helping any other group.–
Except when it was about keeping Pate in power and getting Daniels in power, briefly. I think this is Cullerton’s first go-around in power, anyway.
If you want to do it differently from the Constitutional mandate, then change the Constitution. The voters sent Con-Con down in flames.
For those who feel strongly that the process is wrong, time to start the hard work necessary to amend the Constitution before the next map.
No whining in politics, especially when it’s played by the rules.
- Palatine - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 8:00 am:
Is there somewhere that this tool will be able to be used by the public after the map has been approved?
- hisgirlfriday - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 8:04 am:
@speechless,
Just out of curiosity, do you think the Republicans are that much better with spending their taxpayer money from redistricting to prepare a frivolous lawsuit to protest the tie-breaker provision for redistricting that isn’t even at issue this time?
- John Galt - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 8:05 am:
Agreed. As a Republican, I’m sure I could have plenty to gripe about once the maps are set. But the rules are the rules. Suck it up, do the best you can with the hand you’re dealt, and then get to work on replacing the dealer with whatever constitutional reforms might be appropriate down the road.
- Confused - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 8:24 am:
Ok, I admit ignorance. Which maps will they propose and how does that fit with the House Dem map proposal?
- just sayin' - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 8:33 am:
Maybe if Republicans in this state would spend less time whining maybe they could have won a seat at the drafting table. The Rs would be trying to run the table in exactly the same way if they were in charge. They’ve certainly done it before. 1991 was the last example.
In any case, the voters spoke in November. Deal with it.
- MOON - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 8:43 am:
SPEECHLESS
If the new maps are gerrymander the courts will resolve it. Quit your whining! Do you think the Gop would do it any different if they were in charge?
The voters have Spoken!
ZOBLE21
The public did have their say. They elected a Dem. Senate and House as well as a Dem. Governor.
The rules are the rules. If you don’t like it then work to change the rules and quit your whining.
The voters have spoken!
- Fed up - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 8:51 am:
The only issue I have is after losing a lot of population the maps appear to be drawn to protect Crook co power. Their are plenty of ways to draw the map without extending crook co incompetence and corruption into the burbs.
- Bill White - Thursday, May 19, 11 @ 8:59 am:
One antidote to whining is to look at Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Indiana, Maine and Wisconsin where the GOP controls both houses of the state legislature and the governor’s mansion.
There (and elsewhere) the GOP is trying to do exactly what the Democrats are trying to do in Illinois. Neither party has a claim to moral superiority in the redistricting arena.
Same as it ever was, except now with far better technology and data analysis.