Kwame Raoul

Syndicate content Get this feed!

Let's see the map (Editorial)

May 12, 2011
Chicago Tribune

The once-a-decade process of redistricting is usually framed as a struggle between Democrats and Republicans. The party that holds the upper hand gets to stack the new legislative maps in its favor, carving out districts designed to maximize its numbers at the expense of the other party.

This year, lawmakers have had plenty of input from the outside — from ordinary citizens who jumped at the chance to help draw the maps. Those people are eager to see if their voices were heard.

Read More...



Related Links:

Redistricting Advantage in Illinois Keeps Democrats in Play

November 27, 2010

From Roll Call:

Redistricting Advantage in Illinois Keeps Democrats in Play

By Tricia Miller

Republicans’ 2010 victories in President Barack Obama’s home state of Illinois may not be enough to stave off redistricting problems for the GOP in 2012.

Read More...



Related Links:

Senate Dems have best map plan (Letter to the editor)

April 28, 2010

by:Sen. Kwame Raoul, chairman
Senate Redistricting Committee

Read More...


Related Links:

Redistricting proposal advances to House floor

April 27, 2010

By JOHN GUIDROZ

A Democratic-backed redistricting plan is just one step away from legislative approval. But it still lacks the crucial support from Republicans in the Illinois House to clear that final step.

A House committee voted 10-7 Tuesday to move the plan, Senate Joint Resolution Constitutional Amendment 121, to the House floor.

The measure would still let the legislature draw new maps first, but would change the steps in the redistricting process if lawmakers fail to pass a remap plan.

Read More...


Related Links:

Senate votes gov, lt. gov run on one ticket in primary election

April 27, 2010

SPRINGFIELD — Hoping to avert another Scott Lee Cohen debacle, the Senate voted Tuesday to require that the governor and lieutenant governor run together as a ticket in primary elections.

The bill, which passed 56-0 and now awaits Gov. Quinn’s approval, would scrap the current system, where voters elect the two candidates separately in the primary and sometimes create awkward pairings in the general election.

Read More...


Related Links:

Parties clash over drawing state political map

April 25, 2010

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.

Read More...


Related Links:

Let independent panel draw map for Legislature (Editorial)

April 16, 2010

Having Republicans and Democrats agree that the state’s process for drawing political boundaries should be changed is encouraging.

However, the plan that the Illinois Senate approved Wednesday contains a fundamental flaw: It gives lawmakers first crack at creating a map that would determine House and Senate districts.

That’s not much different than the present system — although at least the final decision wouldn’t be left to a winner-take-all drawing of lots from a hat in the event agreement couldn’t be reached.

Read More...


Related Links: