Citizens must force redistricting reform
During our years of service in the Illinois House of Representatives, we worked together on many issues and projects to benefit our districts and our region and state, even though we belonged to different political parties. We are saddened that bipartisan cooperation and collaboration are in short supply in our state Capitol now.
That is why we are working together in support of major reform in the way legislative district maps are drawn.
Under our current system, redistricting in Illinois is a political process with district maps drawn by legislators to benefit the party in control of the map-drawing. As a result, voters don't elect people to represent them as much as legislators select the voters they want to represent.
Regardless of which party is in the majority, too much power is in the hands of legislative and political leaders when it comes to drawing maps that fairly reflect the residents and voters of our state's communities.
According to a recent poll by the Paul Simon Public Policy Institute, nearly two-thirds of Illinois voters want an independent commission - not legislators - to draw legislative maps. In spite of such overwhelming public support, the General Assembly has failed to enact reforms in the redistricting process.
It's no wonder voters feel frustrated. When it comes to legislative elections, few voters have any choice of candidates.
It's only natural for anyone running for re-election to hope for a weak candidate or maybe no opponent at all. That's one of the side effects of partisan redistricting. Legislative district boundaries are skewed to benefit the party with the power to draw maps, and potential candidates don't even bother to run for the office.
The percentage of General Assembly elections featuring at least two candidates has decreased significantly. In the 1980s and '90s, a strong majority of Illinois legislative elections were contested. In 2014, 58 percent of House elections were uncontested, and 63 percent of Senate elections were uncontested, according to research published recently by CHANGE Illinois, a nonpartisan reform organization.
The 2016 election is looking even worse. In the recent primary, nine of 10 legislative primaries featured only one candidate. Some ballot vacancies may be filled by appointment before the upcoming November election, but today, 67 percent of House and Senate elections have only one candidate on the ballot.
That's welcome news to candidates who don't want to exchange views or answer questions from voters, but it is not healthy for our democracy.
We believe it is up to citizens to force redistricting reform. We urge voters to sign and help collect signatures on petitions to put the Independent Map Amendment on the ballot in November. This constitutional amendment will establish an independent commission of citizens to draw maps based on census data and voter's rights laws in a transparent and open process.
Go to www.MapAmendment.org today to learn more about the proposal and print a petition.
The time for petitioning is running short. Petitions need to be mailed to Independent Maps by April 21. Please join us to act now. This reform is a critical step in restoring citizen confidence by having the kind of representative government we need and deserve in Illinois.
Sid Mathias, a Republican from Buffalo Grove, and Kathy Ryg, a Democrat from Vernon Hills, are former members of the Illinois House.