If you took anything out of the first meeting of the Senate Redistricting Committee this week, it’s obvious Democrats want to push through a map before June 30 while Republicans want to delay as long as possible for a seat at the table.

Senate Democrats continually pushed for a schedule that allowed passage of a map by the constitutionally defined June 30 deadline. But, with census data from the federal government expected to be delayed until potentially Labor Day, Republicans want to push back discussions as long as possible.

There have been suggestions that Democrats use population estimates or even old data to produce a new legislative map.

Republicans, like Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) disagree.

“I think one of the most important things that this committee needs to address is the importance of the accuracy of the data that is used in the redistricting process this year,” he said. “To me, that is the single most important thing that we need to address. I’m already concerned that the use of faulty data risks violation of the Equal Protection Clause [of the 14th Amendment], the Voting Rights Act, and jeopardizes the very principles that I believe both sides of the aisle adhere to, whether that’s supporting communities of interest, protecting racial minorities, and otherwise.”

Barickman clashed with committee chairman Sen. Omar Aquino (D-Chicago) this week on what data Democrats planned to use.

Barickman: Do we know what data will be used?

Aquino: The purpose of these hearings is to get the information so that we do have the best data available to come up with a map by our June 30th deadline.

Barickman: If the public doesn’t know what data is being used, how is that a transparent process?

Aquino: The data that will be used is what we have best available before the June 30th deadline that we have for having a map. So that is the purpose of having these hearings.

Barickman:  You’re continually pointing, Mr. Chairman, to this June 30th date. The President of the Senate was all over the media [Tuesday] saying that there’s an intent to produce a map by June 30th. What data should the public, and what data do you, intend to use?    

Aquino: We are having that discussion to determine what data we’ll be using for the June 30th deadline. Your interpretation of our constitution is a little different than how we interpret it, in the sense that it is pretty lined out that we, as a General Assembly, have to do our due diligence and our work, despite delays in the Census Bureau data, that we should be acting and getting a map by June 30th. That is our duty, that is what we’re going to do, and that is the purpose of having these hearings. We’ll be determining that information of the data, and these things, throughout these committees.

Barickman and Senate Republicans say the June 30th deadline isn’t one that needs to be followed, as the constitution outlines a bipartisan commission to draw a map if the legislature doesn’t meet that June 30th date.

“That’s not a mandate for us to produce a map,” he said. “That means that in the event that the legislature doesn’t produce a map, there is another process afforded very clearly in our constitution for a process that, some people like it, some people don’t, but the point is, I don’t think there’s any dispute about whether there’s a mandate here.”

But Senate Democrats say taking the process out of the hands of the legislature, even potentially without up-to-date data, makes redistricting less transparent.

“That seems pretty clear, Senator [Barickman,] you want to take a very public process and give it in the hands of 8 people and then when those 8 people can’t decide, let it get drawn by a name out of a hat. Tell me how that is a fair and independent process.”

If the legislature doesn’t meet the June 30 constitutional deadline, an 8-person bi-partisan commission would be formed. If it can’t reach a consensus, the Supreme Court literally pulls a Republican or Democrat name out of a hat to control the mapmaking process.

Obviously, advantage Republicans, who would otherwise have no say in the process.

But Barickman says the concern is about an accurate count.

“The questions of the accuracy and reliability of that data, and also the process,” he said. “Hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans have asked this General Assembly to provide for an independent commission for drawing maps. They want, and millions of Illinoisans want, for a redistricting process to result from citizens drawing maps, not politicians picking voters.

Barickman noted many Senate Democrats, new House Speaker Chris Welch, and Governor JB Pritzker, have all expressed support for independent redistricting.

But at a DuPage County based redistricting hearing Thursday, Sen. Suzy Glowiak-Hilton (D-Western Springs) said a commission is less transparent.

“It’s not really timely, at this point, to try to do that,” she said. “It raises even more questions about fairness, and we do have 177 members of the General Assembly that are getting a say in this process.”

But, Barickman says, the legislature should wait for census data.

“It is a false choice that if the legislature does not act (by June 30) that something terrible will occur here,” he said. “In reality, there’s a process in place to account for that very clearly. Some like it, some don’t.”     

Patrick Pfingsten

@pfingsten1 patrick@theillinoize.com