|
|
via e-mail from Illinois Senate Republican caucus........
Ending Illinois’ system of gerrymandering legislative and congressional districts is the goal of a new state constitutional amendment (SJR-CA 69) filed by State Senator Dale Righter (R-Mattoon). Senate Republican Leader Christine Radogno has called for a special legislative session in September to take up the issue.
The Illinois Reform Commission, appointed by Governor Pat Quinn, had harsh words for Illinois’ winner-take-all system of drawing legislative and congressional districts, declaring that “regardless of which party wins, the
people of Illinois are the losers…”
Gerrymandering, a term that was coined at the
beginning of the 19th century to describe the political drawing of legislative districts to pre-determine election results, has grown increasingly sophisticated with the advent of computer-aided mapmaking.
Reform proponents point out that Illinois now has some of the most obviously gerrymandered districts in the nation. The Chicago Tribune has
called Illinois system of politicized drawing of legislative districts a “legalized protection racket” for incumbents. Reformers consider ending gerrymandering to be at the heart of any meaningful reform of Illinois political system.
|
|
|
