Illinois redistricting reform faces political hurdle; lawmakers asked to surrender power
(The Center Square) – An Illinois lawmaker pushing to change how legislative districts are drawn faces a political hurdle: persuading lawmakers who benefit from the current system to give up some control over the process. State Rep. Travis Weaver, R-Edwards, is seeking a constitutional amendment that would establish new rules for redistricting, arguing the current maps leave some voters underrepresented. The proposal comes after Democrats expanded their supermajorities in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly in the Nov. 3 election. Before the Nov. 3 election, Democrats held a 78-40 majority in the Illinois House and a 40-19 majority in the Senate. Preliminary results following the election show Democrats expanding those advantages to 82-32 in the House and 45-13 in the Senate, with several races still unresolved. Weaver explained the results leave Republicans with even less representation in the General Assembly and raise questions about whether the Democratic supermajorities would support changes that could limit their party’s influence over the redistricting process. “In a typical election, Illinois is a 45 to 55 Democrat state,” Weaver told The Center Square. “So it just highlights that voters and constituents in the state of Illinois are extremely disenfranchised.” Weaver criticized the shape of
