South Central Reporter

In the end, Republican state Rep. Avery Bourne argues the passage of House Bill 1291, which seeks to create “the Illinois Congressional Redistricting Act of 2021 for the purpose of electing representatives to the House of Representatives” while repealing the state’s Congressional Reapportionment Act of 2001, came down to just one thing: preserving power.

“This district was drawn to keep surrounding communities around Champaign-Urbana together,” Bourne said of her 95th District. “That was an important priority in the state legislative maps. Guess what it looks like in the Congressional maps? We had to keep them together for a district of 108,000 — (but in the congressional maps) we had to draw that area into four different congressional districts. I love how you tried to pretend you took community input for the state maps; you don't even try in the Congressional maps.

From the onset, Bourne tried to bring attention to legislation that outlines how communities of interest are determined for the legislative maps. Many Republicans see an attempt by Illinois Democrats leverage their power in Springfield to maintain control in Washington.

“We all know this is about keeping Nancy Pelosi in power and it has nothing to do with the people of Illinois,” Bourne added from House floor during debate on the issue.

GOP state Rep. Jeff  Keicher is slamming the newest maps as a “farce of democracy” and the process as a “charade,” according to WTTW.

With Democrats holding a majority in both chambers of the General Assembly in addition to the governor’s office, party leaders have discretion in designing a map that doesn’t require any GOP input.

Only now needing Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s signature, the final product is designed to send 14 Democrats and just three Republicans to Congress from the state, meaning Democrats will net a seat for Illinois at the same time Republicans would be losing two, WTTW reported. 

New districts are drawn at all levels of government every ten years following a U.S. Census.