South Central Reporter

Illinois Republicans have filed a suit to challenge the new legislative district maps submitted by House Democrats and signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker.

House and Senate minority leaders Rep. Jim Durkin and Sen. Dan McConchie filed the suit in the U.S. District Court in Chicago on June 9 in an effort to have the new maps declared unconstitutional and voided, according to ABC7. It specifically names House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, Senate President Don Harmon, Pritzker and Illinois board of elections officials.

"Today we are entering court on behalf of the thousands of families, small business owners, workers, and taxpayers who said they wanted an independently drawn map, not the one handed down by political insiders desperately clinging to power," McConchie told ABC7.

In 2018, Pritzker pledged to veto any unfair, partisan maps while campaigning for the governor's office, according to NPR Illinois. Critics allege that Democrats approved the new maps over objections from community advocacy organizations, government reform groups and Republicans, according to Northern Public Radio News. 

"I am disappointed but not surprised that the governor decided to go back on his word to the people," Illinois State Sen. Terri Bryant wrote in a June 4 Facebook post after the signing. "What he has done today demonstrates that his priorities aren’t about representing the people of Illinois, but about safeguarding partisan power for his party over the next decade."

House Democrats drew the new legislative maps using data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Republicans and community advocacy organizations had urged Democrats to wait for official 2020 Census data which has been delayed to August for COVID-19-related reasons.

According to NPR Illinois, Democrats rushed to get the new district maps signed before a June 30 deadline to keep a partisan advantage in the redistricting process.

The new maps will take effect in 2023.