West Central Reporter

The time has come for Illinois' legislative and congressional district boundaries to be redrawn. With it, comes more partisan clashing.

The process happens every 10 years after the census and is done by state lawmakers, however, House and Senate Republicans, who are in the minority, have lodged complaints that the redrawing process isn't fair. Republican lawmakers are advocating for an independent body to take charge of redoing the boundaries instead. 

The GOP followed up with a proposal filed March 30 that calls for the Illinois Supreme Court to choose 16 citizens — evenly split between Democrats and Republicans — to sit on the redistricting commission.

State Sen. Jil Tracy (R-Qunicy) said in a March 31 Facebook post that the proposal, called the People's Independent Maps Act, would "take the politicians and insiders out of the map-drawing process" and accurately reflect the state's racial, gender and ethnic demographics. 

"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," Tracy said in the post. 

State Sen. Don DeWitte (R-West Dundee) posted an identical statement to Tracy on his Facebook page and on the same day. "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," he posted. 

The act would further require a series of public hearings before the new maps would be approved. 

Republicans have said the independent board has the governor's backing and some bipartisan support.

State Republicans further affirm that there's no reason Democrats shouldn't support an independent and equally partisan committee for realigning districts. 

"Democrats want this. Republicans want this," Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) said, WSILTV reported March 30. "The only people who are holding this up are a handful of people who want to draw the maps in the backrooms so that people don't see it."

Rep. Lisa Hernandez (D-Cicero) said that Republicans only wants to "rig the process to elect more right-wing officials," WSILTV reported.