Kankakee Times

State Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), a member of the Senate Redistricting Committee, recently participated in a hearing where he raised concerns about what data will be used.

The senator is concerned about inaccurate survey information for this year’s redistricting and has also suggested that the process and series of hearings should be made transparent to the public.

“I think one of the most important things that need to be discussed is the importance of the accuracy of the data used in the redistricting process this year,” he said. “Single most important thing we need to address. I’m concerned with the use of faulty data risks equal protection and jeopardizes this. Hundreds of thousands of Illinoisans have asked for an independent commission to draw the maps. From citizens drawing maps, not politicians. I think it’s important for us to discuss why this isn’t being done.”

Barickman also noted that the Democrats would want to use American Community Survey (ACS) data, which he claimed as a “less accurate” one versus the number that will come from the 2020 census.

Redistricting is based on the data released from the U.S. Census Bureau following a decennial census. The data are usually received in the month of April. However, the bureau has made some adjustments on their 2020 census operations due to COVID-19 and has been causing the delay in data collection and other processes needed to complete the census.