Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Wealthy and Influential Illinoisans Trying To Change Legislative Map Process

elections.il.gov

You know how your home might be in one legislative district - but your neighbors across the street might be in another?

The current map-drawing system favors the political party that’s running state government after a census.

A group called Independent Maps wants to change that.

Credit elections.il.gov

Dennis FitzSimons used to run the Tribune Company.

Now, he's heading Independent Maps because he says the process is not fair.

"Our aim is to have our state’s redistricting process produce Illinois House and Senate districts drawn without regard to partisanship or incumbency."

Board members include former White House chief of staff Bill Daley and former Playboy CEO Christie Hefner.

FitzSimons has to change Illinois’ constitution to create a new system that lets a non-partisan committee draw legislative maps.

But previous efforts to change this process stalled after running into constitutional challenges.

--Illinois Public Radio's Tony Arnold contributed to this report--

Copyright 2015 WNIJ Northern Public Radio

WNIJ News