PEORIA -- A proposal introduced by Republicans in the Illinois General Assembly to set up an independent commission to redistrict that body after the Census, is identical to the petition now being circulated by the Illinois League of Women Voters and other groups.
The Republican proposal, which has attracted some support from Democrats, is unlikely to pass the General Assembly. So the citizens groups must keep going to gather enough signatures to place it on the November ballot for voter approval, advocates said at a meeting on Feb. 20 sponsored by the Peoria League and other groups.
The event attracted around 60 people. Many left with petitions after hearing how the Illinois Senate and House districts are gerrymandered so that the politicians select their voters, rather than vice versa.
Brad McMillian of Bradley University's Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Studies, was also a member of the Illinois Reform Commission, which suggested the redistricting proposal. Displaying a map, he said Senate District 38 has a 'tail' because the incumbent's finance lived there.
Senate District 51 is 110 miles long, and snakes down an alley in Springfield to link its disparate parts.
"The politicians will choose their own voters," under the current system, he said.
To get on the November ballot, the petition must have 282,000 signatures by April 30. "Our goal is 400,000 to 500,000 signatures," McMillan said, adding that the signatures likely will be challenged. "We need 10,000 people to get 50 signatures in the next 10 weeks."
Jan Czarnik, executive director of the Illinois League, said she tangled last week with a legislator who was not telling the truth about the petition drive. "If you are challenging the powers that be, they fight back hard," she said.
"We have to do this" so the state can deal with its problems, she said. "Until the members of the legislature get the message" that they may not be reelected unless they do something, nothing will happen, she said.
This is a bipartisan initiative, she said, adding that grass roots Democratic groups in Chicago are backing the petition drive.
State Sen. Dale Reisinger, R-Peoria, attended the meeting and expressed support for the petition. "The amount of money spent in elections is obscene," he said. "When you have so many districts without races, all the money goes to the (few) other races."
He continued, "this is a huge step. It will send a message that the people" can act. He hopes to turn in 5,000 signatures.
Roberta Parks of the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce, another group backing the petition drive, said people at her office will notarize the petitions for free. She said people should carry petitions with them wherever they go. "It's an easy sell."
McMillan said that even under redistricting Peoria is likely to keep its two state senators.Hard working legislators are likely to be reelected under a fair system, he said. Deadwood legislators may be gone.
He urged people to promptly turn in signatures as soon as they are gathered, so advocates can gauge how the drive is working.
The petition proposal does not include Congressional districts, but a successful vote to redistrict the state in a fairer way likely would lead to better Congressional districts and County Board districts, advocates say.
The Illinois Fair Map website has petitions for download and detailed instructions on how to circulate them.
See a detailed story below, on Feb. 8, for additional information on the petition drive.
-- Elaine Hopkins
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