"The power to effect changes in our state government should be in the hands of the people, not in the hands of the political elite," Illinois state Sen. Dave Syverson wrote. | Facebook/Dave Syverson
"The power to effect changes in our state government should be in the hands of the people, not in the hands of the political elite," Illinois state Sen. Dave Syverson wrote. | Facebook/Dave Syverson
Illinois state Sen. Dave Syverson (R-Rockford) is cosponsoring legislation to give voters more power in the democratic process.
According to a press release, Syverson has co-sponsored the "Voter Empowerment Project," which proposes four constitutional amendments the release says are designed to empower citizens to hold politicians accountable and take back control of their democracy.
"I believe in giving the people of Illinois back their voice — a voice that too often has been ignored as a result of decades of legislative corruption and mismanagement," Syverson wrote in a on Facebook. "The power to effect changes in our state government should be in the hands of the people, not in the hands of the political elite."
Senate Joint Resolution-Constitutional Amendment 13 (SJRCA 13) would establish an independent redistricting commission in an attempt to avoid partisan districting issues. The chief justice of the Illinois Supreme Court and the most senior Supreme Court justice of the opposite party would jointly select 17 commissioners to serve on the commission.
SJRCA 14 would allow Illinois voters to approve changes to the state constitution via the initiative process, empowering them to help decide key issues including taxation, redistricting, and other important constitutional provisions while SJRCA 15 would give voters veto power and enable them to initiate referendums on newly-passed laws as a check on the powers of a supermajority party.
SJRCA 16 would enable citizens to recall elected officials. Currently, only the governor is subject to recall.
"This package of reforms gives Illinoisans the tools they need to take back their government," Syverson said in the press release. "It provides the needed checks and balances that have been lost in Illinois."
Senate Minority Leader Dan McConchie has said that the goal of the Voter Empowerment Project is to enable Illinoisans to participate more actively in the democratic process, WLDS News reported.
"Illinois is at a crossroads," McConchie said. "We can either allow the political elite to continue to govern and rule our state based on their own interests, completely disregarding the interests and concerns of all Illinoisans, or we can finally stand up and empower the voters to take back their government."
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