Redistricting in Illinois

[George K]

Because of population loss, Illinois is losing a seat in the US House of Representatives. Currently the state is 13 (D) and 4 (R ). Looks like it'll be 14 (D) and 3 (R ).

Here's the map they're proposing:

[xenon]

Why is it so hard to redistrict without bias?

Would it be so bad if we said something like - make squares starting from the top left of a state until you get x% of the pop covered.

Then start a new polygon. Make your way to the bottom right of the state.

What would we lose by doing that?

[Doctor Phibes]

This always looked to me like something that would be better done by computers, since both sides always cheat like crazy when doing these.

[George K]

@xenon said in Redistricting in Illinois:

What would we lose by doing that?

Power.

[taiwan_girl]

@xenon said in Redistricting in Illinois:

Why is it so hard to redistrict without bias?

Would it be so bad if we said something like - make squares starting from the top left of a state until you get x% of the pop covered.

Then start a new polygon. Make your way to the bottom right of the state.

What would we lose by doing that?

The problem is, is that you are making sense.

Politics makes not sense.

[jon-nyc]

@doctor-phibes They use computers to generate this mess.

[Jolly]

And the Never-Trumper is the one who gets the axe.

Bwhahahahaha!

[George K]

Not gerrymandered enough!

Illinois Democrats unveiled a draft congressional map Friday that would bury the GOP: The proposed lines could give them control of 14 of the state’s 17 House seats.

But privately, some national Democrats felt even that didn't go far enough. So late Friday night, they floated an alternative map that was even more aggressive — one that could leave Republicans with just two seats.

The dueling maps provided rare insight into the partisan considerations and infighting that mark Illinois’ effort to redraw its congressional districts, as national Democrats try desperately to cling to their five-seat majority by pressing their advantage in one of the few places where the party has total control over redistricting.

The official proposal Friday from Springfield Democrats — which splits Chicagoland into a 10-slice pizza and creates one district that looks like a serpent slithering from Missouri to Indiana and another that swerves from downstate Illinois up to the Wisconsin border — complicates the reelections of GOP Reps. Adam Kinzinger and Rodney Davis. But it doesn't doom either congressman entirely. And while the plan somewhat shores up Democratic Rep. Lauren Underwood and the seat vacated by retiring Democratic Rep. Cheri Bustos, neither district would be insulated if the party faces strong headwinds in the next election.

Democratic Rep. Marie Newman, on the other hand, finds herself in a potentially competitive seat — and she was quick to express her displeasure.

"It is abundantly apparent that what has currently been proposed for Illinois' 3rd Congressional District is not only retrogressive but substantially diminishes the diverse and progressive voices of Chicago's Southwest Side and suburbs," Newman said in a statement...

"The map that was released is a massive missed opportunity that will have repercussions for control of the House," said one Democratic strategist involved in Illinois politics. "And I can’t imagine that Democrats in Illinois, who have a reputation for being incredibly well-organized, disciplined and ruthless, would allow this to happen."

[taiwan_girl]

Editorial in yesterdays Chicago Tribune newspaper.

Agree with pretty much everthing in the editorial

https://www.chicagotribune.com/2025/03/05/editorial-illinois-supreme-court-gerrymandering/

For better or worse, November 2024 elections were a triumph for Republicans nationwide. And margins for the GOP in deep-blue Illinois were no exception. For the Illinois House, Republicans received a total 45% of votes statewide, a considerably better showing than in 2020, the previous presidential election year, when the GOP got just 39% of the Illinois House vote.

But in terms of seats in Springfield’s lower chamber, nothing changed after November.

Literally nothing.

Not a single district went from blue to red or vice versa. Just as they did before the 2024 election, Democrats have a 78-40 supermajority in the House, 66% of the seats. That’s despite their winning just 55% of the vote.

and

Democrats have drawn the 118 House districts in such a way as to reduce the truly competitive seats to a minimum, leading to more politically extreme representatives from both parties in the state capital and an embarrassing number of uncontested elections.

In November, voters had no choice in 55 of the 118 House races. In 2020, the number of uncontested races was 47. An unacceptable figure in 2020 only got much worse four years later.

and

Gerrymandering isn’t just a Democratic problem — it’s a Republican one too. Texas, North Carolina, and Ohio have faced legal challenges over maps that were allegedly drawn to dilute Democratic votes or disproportionately favor Republican candidates. And many years ago, Republicans gerrymandered Illinois’ maps as well.

[jon-nyc]

Need to fix it nationally otherwise you wait forever for one side to unilaterally disarm.