PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD)– The United States Census is right around the corner, and Illinois is expected to see a decrease in population. Due to that loss in population, Illinois is expected to lose a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
That means the state’s legislative districts would need to be re-drawn. District 15 which encompasses central and southern Illinois would disappear and be dissolved into other districts such as district 13.
When it comes to the re-drawing of Illinois’ districts lawmakers want the process to be fair and not partisan as it has in the past. State Rep. Ryan Spain (R-Peoria) says the process is all but inevitable and wants it to be a fairer process.
Spain is a big supporter of the Fair Maps Amendment which would make the process more transparent to voters. Spain says if all goes as planned and the amendment is enacted, lawmakers would no longer be able to draw their own districts. Instead, a 17 member panel, appointed by the two most senior members of the Illinois Supreme Court would be tasked with the re-draw.
“So it’s comprised of equal numbers of democrats and republicans; seven Democrats, seven Republicans and then three Independents. Any final map that would come forward has to be a consensus and a compromise that involves Republicans, Democrats, and Independents supporting that effort,” Spain said.
Spain also says any re-draw would have to meet the requirements of the state and federal governments’ Voting Rights Act and make sure people of different ethnic and linguistic groups are still well represented.
The new districts would not go into effect until the year, 2022.
