Parties clash over drawing state political map

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. -- In an era of seemingly endless bickering, Democrats and Republicans agree on at least one thing: Illinois has a silly system for drawing political districts and should dump it immediately.

That's where the agreement ends, however.

Key members of both parties are backing rival overhaul plans. It's entirely possible that neither plan will be approved, leaving Illinois with the same system that has been mocked for decades.

Political boundaries determine whether incumbents are a lock for re-election. They control whether both parties have a shot at victory, or just one. They can divide communities and ethnic groups, diluting their strength, or unite them into one powerful bloc.