McHenry Times

After an effort to place a voting district remapping amendment on the November ballot was struck down by a Cook County Circuit judge, even some Illinois Democrats disagreed with the rejection of the popular initiative. 

Allen Skillicorn, the Republican candidate for state representative in House District 66, commended all who supported the reform effort. 

"I congratulate my Democrat colleagues for signing on to Gov. (Bruce) Rauner's nonpartisan remap amendment,” Skillicorn said. “Just a few weeks ago, many Illinois Democrats called the remap 'phony' or 'hypocritical.'”

Despite the emerging nonpartisan support for the initiative, Skillicorn was disappointed that it did not happen sooner.

“I'm glad they now agree that politics has rigged and harmed the legislative map making process,” Skillicorn said. “I just wish they would have signed on before a Cook County judge threw the remap amendment off the ballot ... after Democrats Mike Madigan and Mike Kasper (general counsel for the Illinois Democratic Party) filed a lawsuit against the popular reform."

When House Speaker Michael Madigan and a number of Illinois Democrats were successful in their effort to toss the redistricting amendment off the ballot, it was a direct slap in the face to Illinois residents, Skillicorn said.

“Earlier this year, 564,000 Illinois residents signed a petition to change the corrupt way Illinois politicians draw legislative districts,” Skillicorn said. “The people were concerned that politicians were gerrymandering districts to pick their constituents, not the constituents choosing their politicians. Speaker Mike Madigan, using attorneys employed by the Illinois Democratic Party, sued to have this ballot initiative stopped and ... a Cook County judge ruled against this popular and necessary reform.”

Skilicorn said the judge’s ruling was disappointing to him, especially since the decision went against the majority.

“As a concerned citizen and candidate for the state legislature, I am troubled and disheartened that a Cook County judge ruled against over a half million people today,” Skillicorn said. “Not only did I sign this petition, I helped circulate the petition.”

Skillicorn said that the fight is not over.

“This decision will be appealed to the Illinois Supreme Court,” Skillicorn said. “Nobody knows if the decision will be made before the November election.”

Skillicorn said his primary frustration is based on gerrymandering.

“I believe voters should pick their representatives, not the other way around,” Skillicorn said. “Illinois can prosper again, but only if we restore bipartisan leadership and the two party system. One of the tools to reform Springfield is to prevent politicians from gerrymandering their districts.”

The Illinois News Network said that the Independent Map Amendment coalition will appeal directly to the Illinois Supreme Court to get the citizen-led redistricting reform initiative on the November ballot.

“Cook County Circuit Judge Diane Larsen ... struck down the proposal, which would allow voters to decide whether to take politicians out of the legislative map-making process,” the article said. “Her opinion states the proposed amendment goes beyond what citizen-led amendments can do.”

Dennis FitzSimons, chairman of the Independent Map Amendment, said the coalition will file for a quick appeal to the state Supreme Court.

“We are disappointed that Judge Larsen has ruled against the Independent Map Amendment and the 564,000 Illinois residents who signed a petition to change a broken system and eliminate the inherent conflict of interest where politicians draw their own legislative districts,” FitzSimons said.

The initiative was challenged in court by The People’s Map. John Hooker, the group’s chairman, said that the proposal puts authority into the hands of middlemen, not elected officials.

Skillicorn agreed with a statement issued by Rauner that said the ruling is a harsh reminder that the political system in Illinois is in major need of reform. 

“Should politicians and special interests pick their voters, or should voters pick their representatives?” Skillicorn said. “Sounds simple, but the power brokers in Illinois want you to have fewer options on your ballot.”

The deadline to get the measure on the November ballot is Aug. 26.