Will County Gazette

Should Illinois' legislative district maps be drawn by an independent body rather than by elected officials? That's what one state legislator is calling for following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision not to consider cases involving accusations of gerrymandering in the drawing of district maps.

State Rep. Norine Hammond (R-Macomb) is calling on residents to sign a petition in support of HJRCA 10. The bill would strip state legislators of the authority to draw maps and hand that task to an independent commission. Hammond is making the appeal after the Supreme Court ruled in a 5-4 decision last month that federal courts do not have the jurisdiction to rule in cases involving potential gerrymandering of political maps.

Writing for the majority, Chief Justice John Roberts noted that concern over legislative maps raised political, rather than legal questions, and therefore fell outside the court's purview. Roberts was joined in the majority by the court's more conservative members.

Crete Township committeeman David E. Smith

The decision was criticized by politicians and independent groups who believe partisan maps essentially allow elected officials to choose their voters.

In a statement, Hammond said the current process "stifles democracy and undermines our representative form of government."

Crete Township committeeman David E. Smith, executive director of Illinois Family Action, supports Hammond's call for independently drawn district maps.

"We are very concerned about partisan-drawn maps and support an independent map-drawing process," Smith told the Will County Gazette.

Smith specifically pointed to the way Chicago-area districts are drawn as an example of the problem.

"The finger-like districts emanating from the City of Chicago are historically and disproportionately blue, and often lack Republican candidates willing to challenge regressive Democrat incumbents precisely because it's so lopsided," Smith said.

Smith believes the power and influence wielded by Chicago-area politicians is at the heart of the problem.

"Simply put, corrupt Chicago politics dominate," he said.