Sangamon Sun

A University of Illinois professor emeritus believes Democrats should press forward with the redistricting process without Republican support. 

"I don't look at the Republicans as being the knights on white horses trying to make sure this is an open and transparent process," University of Illinois professor emeritus Charles Wheeler told the Capitol View. "I think the reality is that the districts that the Democrats will draw will be focused on preserving districts for people of color."

State lawmakers have been holding public meetings to gather comments about the mandated redistricting process. The process has become more contentious than usual because census data will not be ready by a June 30 deadline. 

Wheeler expected there is an effort to create at least one district where a minority population has the voting majority. 

Republicans, however, continue efforts to reshape the redistricting process. GOP lawmakers proposed legislation authorizing the state Supreme Court to appoint an independent redistricting commission to determine the maps. If state lawmakers want to draw the redistricting map, they must have it complete by June 30, or else the baton gets handed to the independent committee. 

"What we've heard from witnesses is that if you want true engagement, then slow the process down," Senator Sue Rezin (R-Morris) said in an April 4 Will County Gazette article. "There's no need to rush and pass maps with inaccurate data by June 30 when the real constitutional deadline is not until October."

Wheeler said the fact that minorities are likely to support Democrats in the remapping issue just as they have in most past issues is a reflection of "what the Republican party has become."

"[The remapping] will probably cost seats in downstate rural Illinois because that's where the population loss is," Wheeler said.