Rauner’s Reapportionment Request

Jim Broadway, a former Statehouse reporter, who now edits “Illinois School News Service” wrote the following on Governor Bruce Rauner’s re-apportionment goal.  It is reprinted by permission of the Illinois School News Service.

Rauner’s Reapportionment Plans

As to the redistricting issue, failure of the legislature and the governor to agree on a new “map” every ten years when redistricting is required by the Constitution results in the appointment of a commission of Democrats and Republicans in equal numbers. If that fails, a “lottery” is held and the winner takes all.

Constitution convention delegates are said to have believed that the “winner takes all” result of continued failure would be so objectionable to the partisan leaders that they would be forced into a fair agreement. But every time it mattered (divided Democrat-GOP control of the chambers or of the legislature versus the governor’s office) the lottery process had to be used. Only once since 1970 (this decade’s map) was a lottery avoided due to total one-party control.

Each time redistricting – which puts one party or the other in charge for a decade – has been decided in a lottery, officials of both parties, the winners and the losers, have deplored the process and promised to spend the next ten years crafting one that would be fairer to the voters. Each time, that didn’t happen.

Madigan is unlikely to want to change the current system. It is, after all, what has given him a three-fifths majority in the House. A lottery’s results may be uncertain, but so are those of other processes. But Madigan’s opinion may be moot; a process toamend the constitution by citizens’ initiative in in the works.

Redistricting reformers seem to have it right. Their amendment seems likely to survive a court challenge; they have an eager base of volunteers to circulate petitions and obtain valid signatures to get their amendment on the November 2016 election ballot; they have strong bipartisan leadership and financial support.

If by their efforts future legislative district maps are independently drawn – rather than drawn by partisan political leaders who get the right to do so basically by a coin flip – the “Independent Map Amendment” coalition will have done a great public service.  Nothing could do more to promote good government in Illinois.

So who are these folks, this coalition? The leadership list is impressive indeed. It includes former Gov. Jim Edgar and Chicago businessman (former White House Chief of Staff) William Daley. Those two co-chaired Advance Illinois when it was founded. Harrison Steans, father of Advance Illinois Executive Director Robin Steans and state Sen. Heather Steans, is on the list, as is former State Board of Education chairman Jesse Ruiz.

Chairing the group is former Tribune Company Chairman and CEO Dennis FitzSimmons. Other members include Peter Bensinger, Lester Crown, Christie Hefner, Charyle Jackson, Don Thompson. Patrick Brady, former member of the Illinois State Board of Elections and advisor to Edgar, is the manager for this project.

Only this group, with the help of volunteers statewide, can forge an achievement – in spite of opposition from those who benefit from the status quo – that will have apositive impact on Illinois politics and government in the decades to come. (The first commission would form when needed, in 2020.)

Does that mean ISNS is encouraging you to get involved? Of course!

The heavy lifting will be getting 600,000 or so signatures of Illinois registered voters on petition forms, getting the forms notarized as having been circulated by a specific person (any U.S. citizen 18 or older; the circulator does not have to be a resident of Illinois) who has followed the campaign’s detailed instructions.

Although it is very difficult for citizens to amend the Illinois Constitution, the leaders of this coalition are over-achievers. They are not partisan in this effort, they have insider knowledge of the challenges they face, they know there will be litigation and they have access to the funds their project will require.

They also have experience. They tried a version of this in a recent election and a respected judge ruled against allowing their question to reach the ballot. They learned from that experience. Their proposal now seems valid. ISNS will follow this project until it falls by the wayside – or succeeds.

(The 23-minute campaign launch video is highly recommended.)


Comments

Rauner’s Reapportionment Request — 1 Comment

  1. That’s good exposure and a helpful endorsement for the proposed redistricting amendment.

    Jim Broadway’s newsletter is read by a lot of teachers and he’s well respected by them in general.

    The proposed redistricting amendment is an improvement over the current process, although it does not incorporate a computer model.

    Anyone can get involved by gathering signatures to place the redistricting amendment on an election ballot.

    Independent Map Amendment
    http://www.mapamendment.org

    Download and print the form, the form must be printed front and back, aka print on both sides of paper, aka duplex.

    If your printer does not do that, print the document on two pieces of paper, take the printed papers to the local office supply store, and have them combine the two pieces of paper into one piece of paper on their printer which offers such a feature.

    Or have the Independent Maps organization mail you some forms.

    Read the fine print on the back of the form to be able to answer some of the questions people will have.

    To illustrate the need for the Redistricting Amendment to skeptics, print out the State Representative District Map, State Legislative District Map, and US Congressional District Map for the district in which you obtain signatures, so people can see the typically ridiculous shapes.

    In McHenry County, to determine those the State Rep and State Senate and US Rep districts for any particular address, visit the County Clerk website at http://www.co.mchenry.il.us/county-government/departments-a-i/county-clerk/elections/voter-services, select Precinct Finder, type in desired address, then cross reference the resulting precinct to the lists and maps at the bottom half of the same URL previously mentioned (www.co.mchenry.il.us/county-government/departments-a-i/county-clerk/elections/voter-services).

    As witnessed above McHenry County could make it easier for citizens to determine all their elected officials.

    In some counties one can type in an address, which results in a list of the elected officials for that address, from precinct committeeman to US President.

    Since the maps of the State Representative, State Senator, and US Senator districts on the McHenry County Clerk’s website only show the McHenry County portion of the district, and thus not the shape of the entire district, the following are resources which provide maps of State Legislators and US Representatives spanning multiple counties.

    More people know the name of the elected official, than the district number, both are listed below.

    ++++++++++++++++++

    Illinois State Board of Election maps of US Congressional (Representative) Districts

    http://www.elections.il.gov > Candidates > Running for Office > Maps and Description > 2011 Congressional Maps and Descriptions

    http://www.elections.il.gov/VotingInformation/2011CongressionalDistricts.aspx

    Map of Illinois US Congressional Districts (loads slow)
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/ElectionInformation/PDF/2012CongFrontside.pdf

    Map of Northeastern Illinois US Congressional Districts (loads slow)
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/ElectionInformation/PDF/2012CongBackside.pdf

    Map of US Congressional District 6 (Peter Roskam)
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011CongDist6.pdf

    Map of US Congressional District 14 (Randy Hultgren)
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011CongDist14.pdf

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Illinois State Board of Elections maps of State Representative Districts

    http://www.elections.il.gov/VotingInformation/2011RepresentativeDistricts.aspx

    State Representative Steven Andersson – 65th State Representative District
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011RepDist65.pdf

    State Representative Jack Franks – 63rd State Representative District
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011RepDist63.pdf

    State Representative Dave McSweeney – 52nd State Representative District
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011RepDist52.pdf

    State Representative Michael Tryon – 66th State Representative District
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011RepDist66.pdf

    State Representative Barbara Wheeler – 64th State Representative District
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011RepDist64.pdf

    Only Democrat Jack Franks has a district entirely withing McHenry County.

    Dave McSweeney has a district in four counties (Lake, McHenry, Cook, Kane), although the Barrington area
    (Barrington, Lake Barrington, Barrington Hills, South Barrington, North Barrington, Port Barrington) itself spans those counties.

    Some Chicago Democrats are likely not thrilled about having their districts extended like octopus
    tentacles into suburban Cook County and beyond.

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Illinois State Board of Elections maps of State Legislative (Senators) Districts

    http://www.elections.il.gov/VotingInformation/2011SenateDistricts.aspx

    State Senator Pam Althoff – 32nd Legislative District
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011SenDist32.pdf

    State Senator Dan Duffy – 26th Legislative District
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011SenDist26.pdf

    State Senator Karen McConnaughay – 33rd Legislative District
    http://www.elections.il.gov/Downloads/VotingInformation/PDF/2011Districts/2011SenDist33.pdf

    +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    The US Census Maps are more detailed and better suited for computer reference than printing.

    To view these maps, it’s quicker after clicking the link to click the download button in the browser, save the file to the Download folder, then open the file in the Download folder.

    Link to List of State Senate (Upper Chamber) and House (Lower Chamber) Maps for each state.
    http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/reference-sld2014.html

    +++++++++

    List of Census Maps for State Senate Districts

    http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/sldu/st17_il.html

    Althoff (32nd State Senate District)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/SLD_RefMap/upper/st17_il/sldu17032/DC10SLDU17032_001.pdf

    Duffy (26th State Senate District)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/SLD_RefMap/upper/st17_il/sldu17026/DC10SLDU17026_001.pdf

    McConnaughay (33rd State Senate District)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/SLD_RefMap/upper/st17_il/sldu17033/DC10SLDU17033_001.pdf

    +++++++++++++++

    List of Census Maps for State House Districts (Representative) (Lower Chamber)
    http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/sldl/st17_il.html

    Andersson (65th State Representative)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/SLD_RefMap/lower/st17_il/sldl17065/DC10SLDL17065_001.pdf

    Franks (63rd State Representative)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/SLD_RefMap/lower/st17_il/sldl17063/DC10SLDL17063_001.pdf

    McSweeney (62nd State Representative)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/SLD_RefMap/lower/st17_il/sldl17062/DC10SLDL17062_001.pdf

    Tryon (66th State Representative)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/SLD_RefMap/lower/st17_il/sldl17066/DC10SLDL17066_001.pdf

    Wheeler (64th State Representative)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/dc10map/SLD_RefMap/lower/st17_il/sldl17064/DC10SLDL17064_001.pdf

    ++++++++++++++++++++++

    List of US Census 114th Congressional District Maps – Illinois

    http://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/114CD/st17_il.html

    US Representative Hultgren (14th US Congressional District)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd114/cd_based/ST17/CD114_IL14.pdf

    US Representative Roskam (6th US Congressional District)
    http://www2.census.gov/geo/maps/cong_dist/cd114/cd_based/ST17/CD114_IL06.pdf

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Redistricting Maps in the Illinois General Assembly as the Result of Public Act 97-0006 (PA 97-0006) and
    Public Act 97-0014 (PA 97-0014), which resulted from the 2010 US Census.

    PA 97-0006 was for State Representative and State Senator Districts, aka the Illinois General Assembly.

    PA 97-0014 was for US Representative Districts, aka US Congressional Districts.

    State Legislative Districts in Illinois
    http://www.ilga.gov/DistrictMapsII/Statewide_SB1177.pdf
    http://www.ilga.gov/DistrictMapsII/CookCollar_SB1177.pdf

    US Congressional Districts in Illinois
    http://www.ilga.gov/CongressionalDistrictMaps/Statewide%20View.pdf
    http://www.ilga.gov/CongressionalDistrictMaps/Cook%20and%20Collar%20County%20View.pdf

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    Whichever party in power, Republicans or Democrats, can draw ridiculous shapes, so it’s a non-partisan issue.

    There are several redistricting gurus and here’s one.
    All About Redistricting
    Professor Justin Levitt
    http://www.redistricting.lls.edu/states-IL.php

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