Allen Skillicorn of East Dundee, the Republican candidate for state representative in District 66, put a lot of effort in supporting the remap referendum initiative to make sure people were fairly represented, but the recent decision by the Illinois Supreme Court means the referendum will not be on the November ballot.
“There are 563,000 reasons to vote for me over my Democrat opponent for state representative,” Skillicorn recently told McHenry Times. “The Illinois Supreme Court ruled against Independent Maps, by a vote of 4-3. Hundreds of volunteers from every corner of Illinois gathered 563,000 signatures from Illinois voters who wanted a constitutional amendment for independent maps on the ballot.”
Skillicorn said that last summer, he was one of those volunteers who collected signatures for redistricting reform.
Skillicorn also said he is upset about the four Illinois Supreme Court Justices, all Democrats, who blocked the referendum on redistricting reform from appearing on this November's ballot. Justice Robert Thomas, who was in the minority, compared the ruling to enshrining tyranny.
"The Illinois Constitution is meant to prevent tyranny, not to enshrine it," Thomas said in his dissent. "Today a muzzle has been placed on the people of this state and their voices supplanted with judicial fiat. The whimper you hear is democracy stifled."
The remap referendum was opposed by Mike Kasper, an attorney representing the Illinois Democratic Party, led by House Speaker Mike Madigan (D-Chicago).
“First elected to the Illinois House in 1970, Mike Madigan has been part of the problem for over 45 years,” Skillicorn said. “Another notable opponent to Independent Maps is the AFL-CIO of Illinois, clearly visible at the AFL-CIO endorsement page of their website.”
Skillicorn regularly argues that he is in an area of Illinois where people are really feeling the effects of Madigan’s, and similar status quo Democrats’, representation: high taxes, high unemployment and low confidence in government and how it can help the people.
"I am extremely disappointed by this activist ruling,” Skillicorn said. “Illinois residents know the game has been rigged against taxpayers, parents, seniors, students, city dwellers, farmers and everyone else not affiliated with Speaker Mike Madigan."
Skillicorn said if was elected, he would support several reforms to constitution amendments that have put residents’ lives in upheaval for quite some time.
"If elected to serve the residents of the 66th House District, I will sponsor constitutional amendments for independent legislative maps, term limits and an amendment to eliminate the pension clause of the state constitution,” Skillicorn said. “The sooner we implement these reforms, the sooner Illinois can recover from the 30 years of mismanagement."
The 66th District covers areas in McHenry and Kane counties, including Algonquin, Carpentersville, Crystal Lake, East Dundee, Elgin, Huntley, Lake in the Hills, Lakewood, Sleepy Hollow and West Dundee.
Alerts Sign-up