Federal court could rule on Illinois legislative maps next month

[November 09, 2021]  By Greg Bishop

(The Center Square) – With about two months until politicians file to run for statehouse seats, the new legislative maps for Illinois House and Senate districts are in the hands of the courts.

A ruling could come early next month.

Plaintiffs challenging the Illinois Democrat’s enacted statehouse maps are set to propose their ideas.

The legislative maps passed in May Gov. J.B. Pritzker enacted in June was deemed by a federal panel of judges to violate the 14th Amendment. Three sets of plaintiffs, Republican legislative leaders, the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the NAACP have had their challenges consolidated.

State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, said the court has now asked plaintiffs how maps enacted in September should be amended.
 

“And these all revolve around what are called Section 2 claims for minority voting rights, so for Latino voting rights and African American voting rights,” Butler told WMAY. “And so I think by Wednesday you’re going to see the attorneys file probably some response on maybe how districts can be different especially ”

Butler expects the courts to make a decision sometime next month after a hearing in the case.

State Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, talks about legislative maps on WMAY  

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“We’re at a point today where the court has basically said ‘look, we’re taking charge of this, Democrats you’ve had your opportunity, the rest of the plaintiffs, give us your ideas on this,’” Butler said. “And so I think the court is going to make a decision on this probably in early December or so.”

It’s important the issue is resolved, Butler said, because the filing period for the June Primary election is coming up in about two months.

“Jan. 13, so we need to have this finalized soon so folks can go out and circulate petitions to get on the ballot and the courts understand that they need to respect that timeline,” Butler said.

Meanwhile, the state’s new maps for congressional boundaries where Illinois loses a seat, have yet to be acted upon by Gov. J.B. Pritzker. They were sent to him a week ago.