According to the monthly newsletter edited by Mary Ellen Barry, help is needed now to ensure that the Illinois Independent Redistricting Amendment gets on the November 2014 General Election Ballot.
How to help
- Request a petition from Yes for Independent Maps at independentmaps.org/get-involved.
- Ask registered voters to sign the petition.
Circulate petitions:
- Carry a petition with you and ask voters to sign when the opportunity arises.
- Find a location with high foot traffic, such as a coffee shop, library, or commuter train station and collect signatures for an hour or two.
- Have your petitions notarized, even partially completed petition sheets, and returned by April 15 to: “Yes for Independent Maps,” 300 N. Elizabeth St., Suite 220B, Chicago, IL 60607.
Why it matters
The current redistricting process in Illinois is closed, secretive and partisan and protects incumbents. The Constitutional Amendment that is being offered would change that by providing for an independent redistricting commission to draw the maps.
The facts are compelling. The results of the 2012 election showed incumbents in the Illinois House of Representatives won 97 percent of their general election races. Thirty of 59 State Senate offices and 65 of 118 State Representative offices had no opposition in the general election. So 95 of 177 Illinois legislators were guaranteed uncontested races once they got past the March primaries.
Establishing an independent process for drawing legislative maps will diminish the infl uence of party “power brokers,” yield more competitive elections, and produce boundaries that make more sense to voters than those we have seen when drawn by legislative leadership.
For more information, visit www.independentmaps.org/ amendment/.
