DeKalb Times

Republican state Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) is on the same page as CHANGE Illinois when it comes to assessing and assailing the latest redrawn legislative maps.

“Again, Illinois Democrats force through a shady map via a sham process and breaching their oath to support a fair maps process,” Keicher posted on Facebook. “I’m pretty sure the governor will again break his promise and sign it despite the minority interest groups urging him not to.”

 CHANGE Illinois agrees, arguing Democrats did not consider the community in redrawing legislative maps after recently revealed census data showed that their first maps violated the Constitution’s one-person, one-vote principle.

Democratic Party leaders hastily moved to approve the revised maps just hours after they were officially presented.

CHANGE Executive Director Madeline Doubek vows the fight isn’t over.

“Drawing district maps in locked back rooms yet again, Illinois lawmakers underscored their utter disregard for the will of the people and for the bedrock democratic principles of open government by and for the people,” Doubek said in a press release. “Gov. Pritzker said he wanted maps that reflect the state’s rich diversity. These maps fall far short of that request and should be rejected by him. Failing that, we hope the courts will force the correction of lawmakers’ callous political mapping calculations.”

Among the groups pressing Springfield to draw maps in a way that better reflect their communities were the Illinois Muslim Civic Coalition, the United Congress of Community and Religious Organizations, Latino Policy Forum, the Decalogue Society of Lawyers, Common Cause Illinois, Agudath Israel of Illinois, Coalition for a Better Chinese American Community, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights and Nonprofit Utopia.

Doubek laments none of them seemed to be heard.

“Twice in a matter of months, Illinoisans have seen their overwhelming pleas for independent and transparent mapmaking utterly ignored by those elected to represent them,” she said. “Their maps make a farce of democracy and their mapmaking process was a charade. Illinois lawmakers have effectively demonstrated the clear and compelling need to end gerrymandering once and for all.”