Non-Partisan Groups Want Dems to Delay Redistricting
Shaded areas depict Illinois House of Representatives districts in Chicago and northern Illinois. Non-partisan groups like CHANGE Illinois want Democrats to wait for full census data before passing new district maps.
One of the state’s leading voices in good government says lawmakers should delay passing a legislative redistricting plan until full census data is available, even if that means asking a judge if they can ignore the constitutional deadline.
Madeleine Doubek, the Executive Director of the non-partisan CHANGE Illinois says if Democrats believe the June 30 redistricting deadline in the state constitution is a mandate, then they should ask a judge to set aside the deadline and pass legislation to push back the 2022 petition filing period and primary election.
“You have several options available to you and one of them is to seek a court order to set aside these deadlines so that you can wait for the census data,” said Doubek, repeating what the National Conference for State Legislatures has told the House and Senate redistricting committees. “Why would we not wait for that full, accurate, complete census data that has historically been used to draw the maps?”
But, Doubek says, it appears Democrats want to use data available to them now to help keep their majorities in the House and Senate.
“It’s all about power, and that is why people need to pay attention, because its about their power and whether they’re going to continue to have a voice.”
Doubek says the American Community Survey data Democrats appear to be planning to use is not accurate enough for a redistricting plan.
“It is a sampling. It does not go down to the block level the way the census data does,” she said. “We’re not going to be getting down to the level we need to be sure we aren’t missing large swaths of people.”
Doubek says, in the long run, the public needs to support a plan to draw maps independently.
“We have to change the process and make it much more equitable and much less political. If we do that, that’s gonna restore people’s faith and trust in the process and, hopefully, it will prompt more people to want to run.”
Doubek says it looks like Democrats in the legislature are proceeding, but the public can still engage with them by tweeting at them, sending them a Facebook message, or an e-mail.
“Somehow, find a way to let your state senator and state representative know that you want everybody counted,” Doubek said. “Everyone has been counted. Everyone should count.”