Sangamon Sun

The state's new legislative districts must be on the governor's desk in a little over two months, but the remapping process has been anything but smooth this decade around. Democrats and Republicans are grappling over whether American Community Survey data is a reliable alternative for official U.S. Census data—Democrats are for ACS, and Republicans believe that the only reason ACS is being favored is to grasp complete control over the redistricting. 

After decades of gerrymandering in Illinois, some argue that only the official U.S. Census data would best serve rural and minority communities, while others say that the representation of those demographics in the census data is incomplete because of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

In an April 21 East St. Louis redistricting hearing, state Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) was one of multiple GOP lawmakers who said that using ACS data will backfire. 

"ACS data undercounts minority populations," Butler said. 

Critics note ACS data is less accurate and can be more easily manipulated to facilitate gerrymandering.

Republicans are frustrated that the official U.S. Census data is being tossed to the side and that many Democrats are backpedaling in their support of fair maps. Many lawmakers have apparently changed course in their commitment to fair maps after getting elected into office. 

In a 2016 op-ed House Speaker Chris Welch said that minority gerrymandering would be prevented by an independent remapping commission; he said the commission would be a "win-win" and a solution to a process that “has often been criticized as too political and one where voters are left without a voice" according to a Chicago Tribune editorial.

If the statehouse can't finalize the maps by June 30, the process will be deferred to an independent commission. Critics feel that engagement in the redistricting hearings has been too low and that only official U.S. Census data is appropriate for the redistricting. 

“I testified at the hearing and it’s the process itself,” former House candidate Marco Sukovic said in the Lake County Gazette earlier this month. “It’s not one that engaged the public in any meaningful, substantive manner. I asked the senate redistricting committee to give me two figures. The first how many people have participated in these hearings to date, keep in mind they are about halfway through with these hearings, and they told me only 46 people have. You’re thinking about a state of over 12 million people and only 46 people have participated.

Sukovic said that the DPI continues to press on without the 2020 Census data. 

"[The DPI] has argued that data from the American Community Survey and data provided by their redistricting software vendors is sufficient for purposes of redistricting," he said. "To provide cover for this overtly political power play, the Illinois Democratic House and Senate legislative caucuses are haphazardly throwing together redistricting subcommittee hearings across the state with the goal of providing a veneer of public input and participation in the process."