McLean County Times

State Rep. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) is concerned about what the Democrats are doing with the district remapping process. 

The once-in-a-decade task comes with a few extra complications this year, including a months-long delay in official U.S. Census data that is traditionally used for the redistricting, Republican concern that maps made by politicians are not fair and a yet-to-be-fulfilled promise by Gov. Pritzker to veto any partisan maps. 

"The governor need not allow the Democrats to play out what appears to be a partisan process," Barickman said in an April 19 WGEM report. "He has an opportunity to influence it and influence it greatly."

Barickman is not the only Republican to challenge Pritzker to step up or propose an independent bipartisan commission to take over the remapping process. 

Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) has spoken up multiple times to "remind the governor of the promise that he made to Illinois residents."

"[...] House Republicans are here and ready to work with [Gov. Pritzker] to make that independent and fair map process happen," Bourne said in a news conference according to Metro East Sun. "We need a fair map and fair process that allows for fair representation for all Illinoisans. [...] We can set up an independent process as the governor says even if the Constitution is not amended. An independent process can be set up and then adopted by the legislature."

Former Illinois House candidate and political columnist Marco Sukovic pointed out that, of a state population of over 12 million, only 46 Illinoisans have participated in the redistricting committee public hearings. 

“I testified at the hearing and it’s the process itself,” Sukovic told the Prairie State Wire. “It’s not one that engaged the public in any meaningful, substantive manner."

State Democrats have until the constitutionally mandated deadline of June 30 to churn out a final reworked map of districts before the task is handed over to an independent committee.