Later today, the Peplow Pavilion in Bradley’s Alumni Center will play host to a presentation and Q&A panel on the Fair Maps Amendment. The amendment is intended to ensure a non-partisan and transparent redistricting process in the wake of the 2020 census.
“I’ve been doing this for 10 years,” said Brad McMillan, executive director of the Institute for Principled Leadership in Public Service and a panelist for the event. “We’ve had three citizen petition drives, we’ve had three legislative constitutional amendments. It’s crazy. But the urgent thing is, if we don’t get it done, we’re going to be stuck with gerrymandered maps for another 10 years in Illinois.”
Gerrymandering is the process of drawing voting districts in order to make victory more likely for a given side. The language of the amendment mandates that voting districts be compact, connected and relatively equal in population, as well as allow racial and language minorities a greater voice in the legislative process.
Today’s presentation is intended to describe and explain the Fair Maps Amendment to students and attendees. Panelists include Madeleine Doubek, executive director of CHANGE Illinois, the nonprofit leading the coalition. McMillan is co-chairman of CHANGE Illinois in addition to his work with the Institute for Principled Leadership.
Panelist Anita Banerji is director of the Democracy Initiative at Forefront, an advocacy group that emphasizes the importance of the 2020 Senate. Rep. Ryan Spain, the primary Republican sponsor of the amendment in the House of Representatives, was scheduled to take part in the discussion as well but may not be able to attend.
The Fair Maps Amendment is supported by a diverse coalition of interest groups ranging from the Illinois Farm Bureau to the Chicago Urban League. When the amendment was introduced in the 2019 legislative session, a full 3/5 of the members of the Illinois Senate signed on as bipartisan co-sponsors. Nevertheless, a vote has never been permitted in the full senate chamber.
“It’s tremendously undemocratic to not allow a vote,” McMillan said. “All of these legislators were duly elected by the citizens of their districts, and to have the supermajority, bipartisan support, yet not allow a vote is totally undemocratic.”
The amendment would turn the task of drawing district maps over to a 17-person commission of seven Democrats, seven Republicans, and three independents. This is intended to ensure fair, non-gerrymandered district lines as well as mandate a minimum of cooperation between the two parties.
For the Amendment to succeed, it must be passed by the Illinois General assembly before May 3, and then appear on the general election ballot on Nov. 3. The maps will take effect in 2021.
The event later today will be followed by a rally on March 26 in Springfield. Buses are being arranged to transport Bradley students to the rally, where a free lunch will be provided. Today’s presentation will take place between 3 and 4 p.m.
