Seventeen Illinois lawmakers have signed on to support a Wisconsin case before the U.S. Supreme Court that calls political gerrymandering unconstitutional.
Lawmakers from eight states filed the amicus brief in support of Gill v. Whitford, a challenge to the way Wisconsin draws its political boundaries. State Rep. Bob Pritchard (R-Hinckley) joined the bipartisan effort because Illinois goes through a similar process every decade. “Partisan politics, Republican and Democrat, has skewed the redistricting process so that it’s not fair,” he said. Pritchard goes as far as to call Illinois redistricting “the death of bipartisanship,” because the party in power, in this case Democrats, has an overwhelming majority and doesn’t need to work with the other party to craft better legislation than whatever is originally introduced.
Pritchard says the Supreme Court case may be the last chance to force states to switch from politically-drawn boundaries to other methods seen as fairer, such as independent commissions. Illinois courts have twice killed efforts to put redistricting overhauls to a vote state-wide.
The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments in Gill v. Whitford early next month.
Fifteen Illinois Republicans and two Democrats signed the amicus brief.
- Sen. William Brady, R-Bloomington
- Sen. Michael Connelly, R-Naperville
- Sen. Dan McConchie, R-Lake Zurich
- Sen. Karen McConnaughay, R-St. Charles
- Sen. Chris Nybo, R-Elmhurst
- Sen. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon
- Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet
- Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris
- Sen. Heather Steans, D-Chicago
- Sen. Dave Syverson, R-Rockford
- Sen. Jil Tracy, R-Quincy
- Sen. Chuck Weaver, R-Peoria
- Rep. Scott Drury, D-Highwood
- Rep. Michael Fortner, R-West Chicago
- Rep. Jeanne Ives, R-Wheaton
- Rep. David Olsen, R-Downers Grove
- Rep. Bob Pritchard, R-Hinckley
