Sangamon Sun

Republican state Rep. Dan Caulkins (R-Decatur) is blasting new legislative maps drawn by Democrats as a snapshot of “what corruption in politics look like.”

“In order to keep power in Springfield, Democrats are choosing their voters in Macon and Sangamon countries,” Caulkins posted to Facebook. “Instead of giving Macon County the representation it deserves, we will have four different reps in an attempt to keep State Rep. Sue Scherer safe.”

Earlier this month in a vote that played out along partisan lines, lawmakers voted 74-43 to pass the maps, which – if signed by the governor – will affect elections across the state for at least the next decade.

Caulkins says he's seen this before.

“This district continues to look like Mike Madigan's old maps that he drew to keep him in power,” he said. “You should be able to choose your politicians, not the other way around. This is pathetic.”

Caulkins isn’t the only Republican lawmaker sounding an alarm over the new maps.  

State Rep. Jeff Keicher (R-Sycamore) is calling on Gov. J.B. Pritzker to veto the maps as soon as they arrive at his desk.

“I share the sentiments Leader Jim Durkin expressed,” Keicher said, according to Shaw Media. “Politicians should not be drawing maps. Period. I join those urging Governor Pritzker to stand by his campaign promise and veto this bill.”

The current legislation came after a previous measure was met with a flood of lawsuits from Republican lawmakers and the American Legal Defense and Education Fund who said the earlier maps are “flawed and unconstitutional because they were based on population estimates from the American Community Survey rather than the 2020 census.”

With the release of census data this month, Democrats say the maps will be adjusted, with the Illinois Legislature set to soon return to Springfield for another vote.

Historically, lawmakers have relied on census data to complete the job of redistricting, but with the release of 2020 data slowed by the impact of COVID-19, Democrats used data from the American Community Survey to meet a June 30 deadline that is established in the state constitution.

Failure to meet the deadline would have led to the creation of an eight-person, bipartisan commission to handle the job. If that group were unable to agree on a direction, a ninth person would be randomly picked to settle the issue.