Grundy Reporter

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker recently signed new legislative redistricting maps submitted by House Democrats at last week's General Assembly, a decision many Illinois Republicans are denouncing.

Critics allege that Democrats approved the new maps over objections from community advocacy organizations, government reform groups and Republicans, according to Northern Public Radio News. 

The governor's actions seem contrary to the promise he made to veto any unfair partisan maps while campaigning for the governor's office in 2018, according to NPR llinois. Pritzker had also expressed support for the creation of an independent commission to handle the redistricting process.

"For years we have been fighting to have legislative maps drawn by an independent commission instead of politicians," Illinois State Sen. Sue Rezin wrote in a June 4 Facebook post. "Around 75% of Illinois voters support this concept. However, today, the governor officially signed partisan maps drawn by Illinois politicians into law."

House Democrats drew the new legislative maps using data from the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey. Republicans and community advocacy organizations had urged Democrats to wait for official 2020 Census data, which has been delayed to August for COVID-19 related reasons.

According to NPR Illinois, Democrats rushed to get the new district maps signed before a June 30 deadline to keep a partisan advantage in the redistricting process.

The new maps will take effect in 2023.