Dems release new Supreme Court district maps
By SARAH MANSUR
Capitol News Illinois
smansur@capitolnewsillinois.com
SPRINGFIELD — Democrats in the Illinois General Assembly on Tuesday released a new proposed Illinois Supreme Court district map, redrawing district lines to maximize Democrats’ chances of keeping a majority on the state’s highest court.
Lines for the Illinois Supreme Court districts have not been redrawn since they were first established in 1963.
There are seven Supreme Court justices from five districts across the state, with three justices elected from Cook County, which spans the 1st District.
The new boundaries are drawn using the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey data because the pandemic has delayed the release of U.S. Census data until September.
Republicans in the General Assembly and several voting advocacy groups have spoken out against using the ACS data, which is less detailed than the U.S. Census data and uses sampling to estimate population changes.
Major population shifts since the 1960s in all five districts are a primary reason that Democrats are redrawing the boundaries this year.
“Illinois is a very different state than it was 60 years ago, and the voters of Illinois deserve to elect members to our state’s highest court that reflect their values,” Chicago Democratic Sen. Omar Aquino, chair of the Senate Redistricting Committee, said in a statement.
The Supreme Court shares district lines with the state’s appellate courts. The proposed map will not impact the tenure of the current appellate and Supreme Court justices, according to the statement, and all justices running for retention can do so in their current districts.
Shortly after the map was released, House and Senate Republicans criticized the map, claiming they had no input and that Democrats should wait for the Census data.
Sen. Jason Barickman, R-Bloomington, said he became aware of the new map when it was reported in the media on Tuesday afternoon.
“There’s been no public dialogue on this, or all of the hearings that have existed…And then we find out through a blog post that Democrats are now introducing Supreme Court maps. Again, it flies in the face of transparency,” he said during a news conference.
Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Morrisonville, said she’s disappointed that Democrats are “using the Nancy Pelosi court packing agenda in Illinois,” especially this late in session.
“I think that’s something that nationwide there’s a backlash against but of course that’s what the Democrats want to do,” she said.
The new map is more balanced in terms of creating smaller population disparities among the districts, said Kent Redfield, emeritus professor of political science at the University of Illinois at Springfield.
But, Redfield said, the new map is clearly designed from a partisan perspective.
“There is absolutely no question it is drawn for partisan purposes and reinforces the Democratic advantage for electing Supreme Court justices,” Redfield said.
The proposed map extends the 4th District, which currently runs across central Illinois from Kankakee County to the Quad Cities, to absorb counties within the current 2nd District and 3rd District, where former Justice Thomas Kilbride lost his retention election last November in an expensive campaign effort on both sides.
For example, the new 4th District would gain Peoria County and the Quad Cities region, which are both currently in the 3rd District. It would also acquire Winnebago County and DuPage County, which are currently in the 2nd District.
“It certainly appears to add a lot of Democratic leaning voters or competitive areas to the 3rd District and eliminates Republican leaning territories,” Redfield said.
He said Kilbride’s defeat at the ballot box last year was an impetus for Illinois Democrats to redraw the Supreme Court districts, in order to retain a Democratic majority. Currently, the court has a 4-3 Democratic majority. The three Republican justices hail from the 2nd, 4th and 5th Districts.
The 5th District, which currently spans more than 30 counties downstate, would gain Champaign County and Macon County, which were previously within the 4th District.
Redfield said the 4th and 5th Districts appear to look more competitive than they have in the last few contested elections, but it’s too soon to know how competitive they will be.
John Pastuovic, president of the Illinois Civil Justice League, said in a statement he agreed that the new maps were drawn out of concern about the 3rd District.
“For example, when looking a party identification voting data, the current 3rd District gives Republicans about a 55 to 45 percent advantage while the new map gives the Republicans a slight 51 to 49 percent advantage,” Pastuovic said in the statement.
“Additionally, the new 2nd District is a 50-50 toss-up using the same voting data,” he added. “Since the Democrats only have to win one of those seats to maintain their majority on the court, Las Vegas would probably like their odds.”
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government and distributed to more than 400 newspapers statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation.
Local News
College Football | Marian (Indiana) and St. Francis highlight Saint Xavier 2024 home slate
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Saint Xavier has released its 2024 football schedule, which has the Cougars opening the season in Michigan. SXU will travel to the Detroit suburb of Southfield to play Lawrence Tech on Sept. 7 in a Mid-States Football Association crossover. The Cougars’ home opener kicks off at noon on Sept.…
Morton College women’s hoops takes fifth in nation
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent For the second year in a row, the Morton College women’s basketball team finished fifth in the country. The Panthers closed out the 2023-24 campaign in Joplin, Missouri, with a 75-67 victory over Iowa Western on March 23 in the consolation championship game at the NJCAA Division II National…
Boys Volleyball | Marist tops Lockport for Gold at RedHawks Invite
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent Marist enjoys getting its season going by hosting a tournament that is now in its 20th year. They had a good time again this season, going unbeaten over five matches in two days to win the Marist RedHawks Invitational for the sixth consecutive time. The RedHawks ended the tournament…
City wants to buy armory at MDW
Spread the love. Has been vacant since 2017 . By Tim Hadac For decades, it served military purposes, as well as Chicago’s gateway for Presidents stopping off in the city. But the Army National Guard Midway Armory, 5400 W. 63rd St., has been mostly vacant since 2017, when the Illinois Army National Guard ceased operations…
2 charged in Summit junkyard burglary
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong Two men have been charged in connection with a break-in last month at the Pick-n-Pull used auto parts store and junkyard in Summit. George Ainalakis, 39, of Carol Stream, was arrested February 26 at the business, while Chad Wickert, 40, of Brookfield, was arrested March 13 by Hodgkins police. Police…
A successful career serving thousands
Spread the love. By Tim Hadac Editor Clear-Ridge Reporter & NewsHound (708)-496-0265 . Most folks work for years at their jobs, expecting and receiving little fanfare, then retire quietly. Garfield Ridge resident Mary Ellen Fox planned to retire from her 30-year job in the City Clerk’s Office quietly; and she did, earlier this year. But…
Casten secures $11M for district; invites Bridge Teen founder to State of Union
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Congressman Sean Casten is bringing some big bucks home. Casten (D-6th) announced that he helped secure more than $11 million in federal funding for local community projects. Included in that bounty is: $1.28 million to Evergreen Park for water main replacement. $500,000 to La Grange for storm and sanitary sewer…
Forest View swears in new police officers
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The Village of Forest View has a new full-time police officer and a newly promoted corporal on the force. In front of a full-house at their February 27 Board of Trustees meeting, Clerk Laura McGuffey did the honors swearing-in Maria Guzman as a full-time officer, and promoting Officer Jorge Sanchez…
Burbank businessman sentenced for income tax evasion
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong A Burbank businessman has been sentenced to two years in federal prison for willfully evading more than $3.7 million in federal and state income taxes. Abraham Kiswani, 54, pleaded guilty last year to a federal tax evasion charge. In addition to the prison term, U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah…
Oak Lawn ups fines for blowing off illegal fireworks
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Oak Lawn residents who blow off illegal fireworks this summer will find that doing so will be more expensive. An ordinance was passed by a 5-0 vote by the Oak Lawn Village Board on March 12 that will increase the fine from $50 to $100 for residents who are lighting…
Neighbors
Residents warm up to Hills Chamber Business Expo
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle Spring has arrived but winter continues to leave its calling card. However, that did not prevent the Hills Chamber of Commerce from holding its 10th annual Business and Community Expo Saturday at Conrady Junior High School in Hickory Hills. While the temperatures were frigid and windy outside, the spirit inside…
Palos Park to tweak outdated village zoning codes
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva The village of Palos Park has no grand plan to change the village landscape. But officials want to modernize some of its zoning codes. “The village has not comprehensively updated its development regulations since 1960,” Mayor Nicole Milovich-Walters said at the March 25 village council meeting. “Due to this, there…
SD122 psychologist resigns over Islamophobic posts
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam A psychologist for Ridgeland School District 122 has resigned after hundreds of parents demanded she be fired for social media posts that were pro-Israeli and anti-Palestinian. District Supt. Joseph Matise announced at a schoolboard meeting last week that Dr. Laurie Hoke had resigned. “Dr. Hoke will no longer be working…
Will the month of March leave like a lion?
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . The days are getting longer and slightly warmer. But my prediction of a few weeks ago–March is certainly not leaving like a lamb–may prove to be correct. A sure sign of spring in…
Robin sighting a sign of new beginnings
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . I saw a robin the other day. This was the first sighting of the season for me. I remember my mom saying that the first robin of spring is a promise of new beginnings. May it be so. Is…
Thome sweet Thome: Nazareth baseball defeats Hall of Famer Jim Thome’s alma mater
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Nazareth baseball team took a road trip to the middle of Illinois and improved its record to 7-0 on March 23 by beating Limestone, 6-0. Limestone is the alma mater of former White Sox player and Baseball Hall of Fame member Jim Thome, who is an assistant coach…
Chicago Catholic League greats headed to Hall of Fame
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent A handful of area stars will be inducted into the Chicago Catholic League Coaches Association Hall of Fame. The list features Kevin Bracken (St. Laurence, wrestling), Kevin Carberry (St. Rita, football), Matt Macievic (De La Salle, cross county and track), Mike McGrew (Mount Carmel, football), Dan Nicholson (Brother Rice,…
Fire II tops Chicago City, advances to to second round of Hunt Open Cup
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent The Chicago Fire II picked up a late invitation to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and beat Chicago City, 6-0, on March 20 in front of an announced crowd of 810 at SeatGeek Stadium. Defender Giovanni Granda and midfielder Vitaliy Hlyut each made their professional debut and scored…
Red Stars top Seattle, open season with two wins for first time in franchise history
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Correspondent Last year’s last-place finish notwithstanding, the Chicago Red Stars have had a pretty rich history of success. The franchise has seven NWSL playoff appearances and has finished runner-up twice (2019, 2021), and prior to 2022 had finished no lower than fourth in the league ‘s regular season standings for…