McHenry Times

It was a back-and-forth April 9 House Redistricting Committee hearing in McHenry County between Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield) and Village of Oakwood Hills Trustee Kristina Zahorik.

Butler questioned Zahorik’s suggestion to create fair maps based on the best data currently available instead of waiting for the delayed data from the U.S. Census Bureau.

“So what you are referring to in your testimony ‘using the best data available’ ... that would be using (the) American Community survey data," Butler said. “If we’re following that and using ACS data you will conflict with the testimony of a few people here today (who are) trying to accurately represent minority populations in the state of Illinois.

"We've had 16 or 17 of these hearings," Butler said, "and multiple times experts have testified the fact that ACS data undercounts not only minority populations but undercounts populations in communities with under 65,000 people, so there is real concerns with your testimony using the best available data to go forward." 

Zahorik, who is also the president of the Illinois Democratic County Chairs' Association, said she is not familiar with the American Community Survey (ACS) data.

Butler pointed out to Zahorik that she has sent out fundraising appeals for the Democratic County Chairs' Association urging supporters 'to stop Republican gerrymandering.'

When asked if the state legislature should use a redistricting commission or draw maps in a partisan manner based on who is in the majority, she said that drawing maps representative of who is in the district is fair.

“Do you think that would be using the power of the majority to stop gerrymandering?” Butler probed. “I’m reading from your email here that says 'this program will allow us to use our power' which means the Democrats Association, 'to stop the GOP gerrymandering.' It's not your power, it’s the people's power.”

Butler explained that Republicans have been advocating to end gerrymandering to ensure citizens are empowered to choose their representatives.

“Maybe you should talk to your Democratic colleagues about using a commission format and getting it out of the hands of the legislature like so many of us support,” Butler argued. "I just find it again astounding that you want to advocate for fair maps but what you really want is a partisan process.”

Democratic lawmakers, who are in the majority, want to move forward with this year’s redistricting despite the delay on the official count from the Census Bureau. 

During his 2018 election campaign, Gov. J.B. Pritzker supported reforming the redistricting process through an independent commission.

Early this year, Illinois House Republicans said: “they hope to use legislation, instead of a constitutional amendment, to change the way state legislative and congressional district lines are redrawn every 10 years.”