Quincy Reporter

On March 30, Republican leaders in the Illinois General Assembly introduced the People's Independent Maps Act. The act would move legislative redistricting to an independent commission. 

Under the current system in Illinois the state's elected officials draw legislative district maps. Republicans proposed similar legislation in other years and it gained some bipartisan support. 

"Every Illinoisan deserves to be represented in our democracy and an independent map drawn by the people for the people, NOT by the politicians for the politicians is the best way to make their voices heard. For too long, the people of Illinois have been deprived of this right. That’s why we have filed Senate Bill 1325, the People’s Independent Maps Act," state Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Quincy) stated in a post on her Facebook page. "Our legislation is about ensuring that politicians can no longer pick their voters. It’s about creating fair maps drawn by an independent commission and ensuring that every voter is fairly represented. Our legislation takes the language directly from a proposed Constitutional amendment that garnered wide bipartisan support just last year. Our goal is to create a process where voters feel like their voices matter, creating a stronger democracy for Illinois."

The People's Independent Maps Act requires that districts be evenly split in party affiliation. It also mandates that districts are representative of the gender and racial demographics of Illinois as a whole. The 16 commissioners who would decide on the districts would be appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court. 

Government employees and lobbyists would not be allowed to serve on the commission. The act only applies to the 2021 redistricting cycle.