* Back to the Simon Poll with all the caveats we’ve already discussed…

Redistricting Reform

By almost three-to-one, voters are in favor of redistricting reform, which has been the subject of two ultimately unsuccessful statewide petition drives. More than six in ten (64 percent) favor having “legislative district maps created and recommended by a commission that is independent of the elected representatives.” Four in ten (40 percent) strongly favored redistricting reform, with 24 percent favoring it somewhat. Two in ten respondents (22 percent) were opposed.

Voters across partisan and regional groupings were in favor of the redistricting commission idea: 67 percent of Chicago city voters, 66 percent of suburban Chicago voters, and 58 percent of Downstate voters in support. Likewise, the redistricting commission was supported by 68 percent of Democrats, 67 percent of Independents, and 60 percent of Republicans.

“The proposal for redistricting by an independent commission is now quite popular as it has been in all of our earlier Simon polls. There seems to be a very active grassroots movement supporting a change, and this year there is an unusual number of legislators from both parties who have signed on,” noted John S. Jackson, one of the co-directors of the poll.

Lobbying Reform

Concern over influence-peddling in Springfield may be driving support for lobbying reform proposals. By a wide margin (85 percent in favor, only 11 percent opposed), voters support a so- called “revolving door” proposal that would force lawmakers “to wait at least one year after leaving office before accepting jobs with firms that lobby their state legislatures.” Support is uniformly robust—in the mid- to high 80 percent range across demographic and geographic categories.

Six in ten (61 percent) support a ban on state legislators being paid for lobbying local governments—46 percent strongly in favor and 15 percent somewhat in favor. A third (33 percent) oppose the proposal. As in the “revolving door” question, there is little meaningful variation according to party or region, with support approaching or exceeding 60 percent throughout.

Redistricting reform, by the way, has about the same level of support as the graduated income tax in this poll (65 percent). Fewer people opposed remap reform than opposed the graduated tax, however (32 percent).

* More…

It has been proposed that Illinois ban state legislators from lobbying for local governments if they get paid for the lobbying. Would you favor or oppose this proposal?

Favor 61%

Strongly favor 46%
Somewhat favor 15%

Oppose 33%

Somewhat oppose 11%
Strongly oppose 22%

Other/don’t know 6%

Most states surrounding Illinois require lawmakers to wait at least one year after leaving office before accepting jobs with firms that lobby their state legislatures after leaving office. Illinois does not. Should Illinois require lawmakers to wait at least a year before registering as a lobbyist?

Yes 85%
No 11%
Other/don’t know 5%