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Fair maps group won’t demand a vote before the upcoming deadine

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Illinois

* Press release…

Illinois legislators and ethical government activists from communities across Illinois continue their outreach and support for Fair Maps and an improved redistricting process as the May 3rd deadline approaches. After May 3rd, the process becomes very uncertain, and urgent legislative action will be required to prevent another decade of partisan gerrymandered maps.

While many might have assumed Democrats will retain their partisan control of the map making process, that is no longer a safe assumption. Due to potential delays in the Census due to COVID-19, there is a 50 percent chance that Republicans actually will be in charge. “It could all come down to which name is drawn out of a hat,” says Ryan Tolley, policy director for CHANGE Illinois, the non-partisan coalition supporting the Fair Maps Amendment. “Lawmakers are running out of time to take action. Our democracy deserves a vote on a more equitable map process, and if one cannot safely be held before the May 3rd deadline, then legislators must commit to meaningful reforms in the coming months.”

There has been strong bipartisan support for the Fair Maps Amendment, which was introduced in the General Assembly on Feb. 13. The amendment is supported by 34 diverse organizations representing communities of color, businesses, farmers, senior citizens and more from across the state. A February poll commissioned by CHANGE Illinois showed 75 percent of the state’s voters support the creation of an independent commission to draw political maps.

Even during this pandemic, the supporters of this amendment are still committed to increasing election fairness. “This public health crisis underscores how important it is to elect leaders who are accountable to the people they serve,” said state Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Glen Ellyn), who is the Amendment’s chief sponsor in the House. “Now more than ever, we need to ensure that our districts are drawn fairly so that all constituents’ voices are heard.”

“Illinoisans deserve better than a repeat of the same political map making process that determined voters’ representation for decades, rather than allowing voters to choose their elected officials,” said state Rep. Ryan Spain of Peoria, the Republican chief co-sponsor of the Fair Maps Amendment. “We’re going to continue fighting for these reforms.”

I went over the Census deadline changes with subscribers a couple of weeks ago. There are several ways around that problem.

* The proposed constitutional amendment would need five session days to pass - three reading days in each chamber (the third serves as the first in the other chamber). That would mean the GA would have to come back to town by this Wednesday to get it done. Both chambers have already canceled session this week.

So, I asked Madeline Doubek at CHANGE Illinois if her group’s press release was a demand that the legislature reconvene this week. Her response…

No, it is not. We don’t presume to suggest we can demand anything, particularly in a pandemic. Safety must be considered, first and foremost. Fair maps and our democracy deserve votes, if and only if, some way could be found to do so safely. If that isn’t possible, we will work for legislative improvements to the redistricting process whenever the General Assembly can safely reconvene.

The chief Senate sponsor is Sen. Melinda Bush. I reached out to her earlier today and she told me that she and others are working on legislation now. She’s had some bills in draft form ready since February, Bush said. The legislation, among other things, would create an independent map commission by statute.

posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:19 am

Comments

“Never mistake activity for achievement”

71, 36…

Still not seeing those numbers or anyone discussing the passage threshold.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:21 am
So is Local 150’s Anti-”right to work” amendment dead because there’s no time before the May 3 deadline?

Comment by Marquee Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:24 am
Like Rep Bailey..this crew is all show no go

Comment by NotRich Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:25 am
We need to find a way to do this. We need a real map.

Comment by Generic Drone Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:26 am
Let’s get this fair map legislation passed. Enough excuses. Illinois is a poster child for gerrymandering — not as bad as Texas Republicans but in that category for sure.

Comment by west wing Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:40 am
- west wing -

Shh, here’s a secret, ‘tween you and me… don’t share it.

They don’t have the votes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:42 am
O W : that is so cruel.. TRUE but cruel

Comment by NotRich Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:47 am
If the Democrats insistence on maintaining power through a gerrymandered map they write results in the Republicans having that very same power, I cannot even fathom the level of entertainment I will receive from watching the legislature over the next decade.

Comment by Just Me 2 Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:48 am
- NotRich -

Yeah…. yeah.

Here’s how I see this;

The pandemic, it allows the fair maps folks to retreat with the pandemic itself being the cause, and its true, 100%, that because of this crisis, the timing will not allow a vote.

The other truth, and both *can* and *are* true… they don’t have the numbers.

If they had the numbers, the idea and response would be far different.

They “lost” me for the interim with that awful op-ed where the pushing of a vote (even though they don’t have the numbers) as a priority during a pandemic… yep… “I’m out”…

Let’s see how it roll out in the fall, but both can be, and are true;

The pandemic makes it impossible to move this, they also don’t have the votes.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:52 am
If Congress can meet to conduct its business with members from all around the country, what is preventing the GA from meeting in the same way?

Comment by Fair Question Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:56 am
===what is preventing the GA from meeting in the same way?===

This is a good thing that the GA can’t vote on this, they can’t pass it.

The politics here is… the group is glad they can’t put it up, it wouldn’t pass.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:58 am
==Illinois is a poster child for gerrymandering==

And yet Lauren Underwood won the 14th district. How’d that happen?

Comment by Jocko Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 11:00 am
=== Due to potential delays in the Census due to COVID-19, there is a 50 percent chance that Republicans actually will be in charge. “It could all come down to which name is drawn out of a hat,” says Ryan Tolley===
Not sure I understand Mr. Tolley. The Census has delayed some dates but it still need to hand over the final sum by Jan. 1, 2021 per the US Constitution.
Aren’t the maps drawn after the Census numbers are in? Why would names be drawn from a hat in any situation?

Comment by Da Big Bad Wolf Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 11:02 am
OW: If one op-ed changed your vote from green to red, you weren’t really into moving Illinois into the 21st century.

Comment by west wing Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 11:14 am
==Illinois is a poster child for gerrymandering==

And yet Lauren Underwood won the 14th district. How’d that happen?

Plus and Sean Casten won in a district explicitly designed as a GOP enclave.

– MrJM

Comment by @misterjayem Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 11:16 am
=== you weren’t really into moving Illinois into the 21st century.===

No.

Phony opportunist who don’t have the votes to pass it in the first place trying to have their priority pushed without even the reality of the numbers…

… that type of political ignorance I have little time for, especially in a global pandemic.

They showed a huge lacking.

I have little time or energy to get behind their pressing.

I have time to see the need for PPE, ICU beds… not the pushing for a thingy no where near ripe to pass.

Against term limits, can get behind fair maps, just not with this crew who seemingly misread things.

With respect.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 11:18 am
Mr/Ms Fair Question:
Congress has met to do agreed bills. Not sure of any “debate” except some stock speeches from leaders, Is this what the GOPies want?

Comment by Annonin Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 12:37 pm
== Illinois is a poster child for gerrymandering ==

IL is less egregiously gerrymandered than WI, MI, OH, PA, NC, VA, TX, FL, but yeah we are a poster child.

Comment by Hamlet's Ghost Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 1:13 pm
Hamlet’s Ghost - Great, so we’re the 9th worst. Let’s move this state into the 21st century. Opponents have used every excuse in the book and now have the pandemic to hide behind. If we miss this chance, we’ll have another ten years to reflect poorly to the rest of the nation. As a Democrat, I know we can do better.

Comment by west wing Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 2:05 pm
- west wing -

Show your 71 and 36.

Thanks.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 2:06 pm
The Illinois General Assembly could still adopt voluntarily an open, transparent redistricting process that largely tracks the independent map process. It can inform what they introduce and vote to approve. Don’t need constitutional change if legislators committed to sharing redistricting power with people. But I won’t hold my breath. More hope for Chicago ward process.

Comment by Veil of Ignorance Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 5:14 pm
I think the solution is multi-member districts like we had before the Cutback Amendment. Would also include Senators.

Have a common primary with the top five candidates going on to the three position general election.

We can’t get this without pressure. Give the legislators a chance to enact or face a further cutback through a voter initiative. Quinn set the precedent.

Comment by Last Bull Moose Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 5:25 pm
- Last Bull Moose - Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 5:25 pm:

I think the solution is multi-member districts like we had before the Cutback Amendment. Would also include Senators.

Have a common primary with the top five candidates going on to the three position general election.
———————

I’ve thought of a similar idea before, returning to proportional voting but maintaining the post-Cutback Amendment 118 House members.

Top three vote-getters in the General election go on to the GA. Top vote-getter is elected to the Senate for a term, the second and third placers go to the House.

Under this plan, it will be possible to have a “Senate President Michael Madigan,” however.

Comment by Leatherneck Monday, Apr 27, 20 @ 10:46 pm