McHenry Times

Illinois State Representative Steve Reick, representing District 63, said that Republicans are committed to ending gerrymandering and restoring power to voters through a lawsuit aimed at overturning the state's legislative district maps. He shared his thoughts in a Facebook post on February 5.

"We are fighting for fairness in the legislative mapmaking process to end gerrymandering, hold politicians accountable, and give voters their power back," said Reick, according to Facebook.

According to Reick's post, a WTTW report detailed a lawsuit filed by Republican lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Tony McCombie and Representative Dan Ugaste. The lawsuit, directed at the Illinois Supreme Court, challenges the 2021 maps drawn by Democrats, alleging they violate the state constitution. The complaint claims the maps create non-contiguous districts that are neither compact nor of equal population. Ugaste argued that Republicans received 70,000 more votes than Democrats in 2022, which would have led to a Republican majority of 60 seats compared to the Democrats' 58.

Screenshot of State Representative Steven Reick's Feb. 5 Facebook post. | State Representative Steve Reick Facebook page

Filed by McCombie and five registered voters, the lawsuit names the Illinois State Board of Elections and its members. It asserts that the legislative districts were drawn to benefit Democrats, preventing Republican voters from electing their preferred candidates. The plaintiffs argue that such extreme gerrymandering is unconstitutional, citing House Resolution 443, which admitted that District 26 was redrawn "for political purposes" and wasn’t adjusted following public input. The plaintiffs seek to have the current maps declared unconstitutional and call for the appointment of a Special Map Master to create fairer, constitutionally acceptable district maps.

The lawsuit also raises concerns about compactness, questioning whether the current districts meet appropriate spatial requirements. Capitol News Illinois pointed to a 1981 ruling that invalidated two districts and ordered them redrawn based on similar issues.

Reick is a longtime Illinois resident who graduated from Herscher High School. He earned a degree in accountancy from the University of Illinois and went on to obtain a Juris Doctor and a master's degree in accountancy and taxation from the University of Georgia. Elected to the Illinois General Assembly in 2016, he currently represents the 63rd House District.