Kankakee Times

Republican lawmakers are frustrated that Gov. J.B. Pritzker went back on his campaign promise to veto a partisan map this year. 

With Pritzker now saying that he trusts the Democratic majority to be fair in drawing the next decade's maps, GOP legislators continue to voice concerns that the process needs reform. During an April 28 news conference, state Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) called on the governor to stick by his original word and keep his promise. 

"[Pritzker] didn't just make a promsie, he made a pledge," Barickman said. "To the 600,000 Illinoisans who signed petitions asking for an independent commission, to the millions of voters who believe Illinois should no longer have legislators drawing their own districts and picking their own voters. The reality is if the governor abandons his promise he will have lied to you."

Barickman said that the whole country is moving toward independent commissions for redistricting rather than politicians and there's no reason that Illinois shouldn't follow suit. 

"This issue has clear bipartisan support, not only around the country but in Illinois," the senator continued. "Our own former President Barack Obama has championed the caused for independence in the redistrict process. The reality of the governor is this, Gov. Pritzker has a trust issue with voters. Voters no longer trust that this governor can solve the problems facing our state."

Barickman pointed out that Democratic President Joe Biden won the overwhelming majority of votes in Illinois while Democratic Gov. Prtizker's tax increase proposal was overwhelmingly rejected.

"The point is that there is no reason for the governor to flip flop on this very important issue," he said. "Not only do voters not trust the governor, but they don't trust the government. The governor has an opportunity here to change that."

Barickman introduced Senate Bill 1325, which would create an independent commission to take over the redistricting process. He isn't the only lawmaker who attempted to bring legislation onto the floor to end political redistricting. 

Julie Morrison proposed an identical bill in 2019 that garnered strong bipartisan support in the Senate. 

Most fair map bills stall out in the Legislature.