Remap Fight Coming But Questions Need Answers

By Benjamin Yount, Illinois Statehouse News
 The battle lines are forming in the coming legal challenges to Illinois’ new political maps. A number of groups, including coalitions and the Illinois Republican Party, are expected to challenge the 2011 redistricting map drawn by Democrats and approved earlier this week. No lawsuits have been filed yet, however, since Gov. Pat Quinn is mum on whether he will approve the congressional and legislative maps.

Voters need to be wary of challenges to the maps by political parties, said Jan Czarnick, executive director of Illinois' League of Women Voters, a nonpartisan political organization. A lawsuit is “what you’d expect from political parties. Their job is to benefit that political party. And both Republicans and Democrats do that,” said Czarnick.

"I can take a look at this map and know that it’s wrong, but it will take a while to see how to move forward. That could take weeks or more," said Illinois Republican Party Deputy Executive Director John Blessing.

However, Steve Brown, spokesman for House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, said the House Democrats followed state and federal requirements, such as Voting Rights Act, when crafting the redistricting maps. "I don’t think they have a basis for a successful lawsuit."

Czarnick said the League of Women Voters may challenge the maps to give a voice to voters in the newly drawn districts. "This should be about people, the citizens of the state or this country, choosing the people who represent them," Czarnick said.

You can read Ben's full report at:  http://illinois.statehousenewsonline.com/6302/remap-fight-coming-but-questions-need-to-be-answered/