Southern Illinois News

The American Community Survey (ACS) data will not be a true representation of Illinois, according to Rep. Tim Butler (R-Springfield), who attended the joint Senate and House Redistricting Committee hearing on April 19 at Jackie Joyce Kersee Center in East St. Louis.

The House Assistant Minority Leader and Republican Spokesman of the House Redistricting Committee expressed his objection to the use of ACS data and drawing the maps without an independent commission.

“The use of other data — American Community Survey data, other private data potentially will not truly represent the state of Illinois," Butler said. "We have had – I think this is – 24, 25 hearings in the house. We've had multiple people testify over the last several weeks that ACS data undercounts minority populations, undercounts rural populations, and it is vitally important for us to realize that.”

Butler explained that while it is equally significant to hear input from the community, creating an independent redistricting commission would be a process that could ensure “that citizens have a role in actually drawing the maps.”

Prior to the joint hearing, Butler and state Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) authored a letter to the chairs of their respective redistricting committees requesting the governor or a high-level member of his staff to testify at the April 19 hearing in East St. Louis. U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Illinois) and state Rep. Avery Bourne (R-Morrisonville) have also urged the governor to come forward and fulfill his promise of nonpartisan-drawn maps.

Republicans have noted that Pritzker campaigned on reforming the redistricting process and pledged that he would veto a map drawn by politicians. “Yes, I will pledge to veto. We should amend the constitution to create an independent commission to draw legislative maps.” Pritzker told Capitol Fax’s Rich Miller in 2018.