Rock Island Today

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker recently signed new legislative redistricting maps submitted by House Democrats at last week's General Assembly, a decision many Illinois Republicans are denouncing.

In 2018, Gov. Pritzker pledged to veto any unfair partisan maps while campaigning for the governor's office, according to NPR Illinois. Critics allege that Democrats approved the new maps over objections from community advocacy organizations, government reform groups and Republicans, according to Northern Public Radio News. 

"Today, Gov. Pritzker completely broke his promise to the people of Illinois by his decision to sign partisan maps drawn by politicians," Illinois State Sen. Win Stoller wrote in a June 4 Facebook post. "By signing this map, the Governor has turned his back on over 50 leading government reform and minority advocacy groups as well as 75% of Illinois voters who strongly support an independent redistricting process."

House Democrats drew the new legislative maps using data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Republicans and community advocacy organizations had urged Democrats to wait for official 2020 Census data, which has been delayed to August for COVID-19-related reasons.

Northern Public Radio News reported that Republicans may have been wanted Democrats to delay finalizing the maps because a June 30th deadline would have opened the door to Republicans having a chance to influence the redistricting process.

The new maps will take effect in 2023.