In Springfield, Illinois, the Republican leader of the state House, alongside five voters, has initiated a lawsuit aimed at having the Illinois Supreme Court invalidate the legislative district map established in 2021, alleging that it was drawn in a manner that improperly benefits the Democratic Party.
The suit challenges the configuration of the districts, which have been criticized for their convoluted shapes and lack of compactness, arguing that they violate the state constitution’s mandate for “free and equal” elections. Rep. Tony McCombie, a Republican from Savanna, expressed that the maps, crafted by the ruling party, are intended to maintain Democratic dominance while marginalizing the voices of voters aligned with other parties, leading to unbalanced outcomes in general elections.
The process of redistricting in Illinois has historically faced gridlock, with the party designated to create the maps chosen via a lottery system. For the past thirty years, that process has predominantly fallen to the Democrats after each U.S. Census. In 2016, nearly 600,000 voters supported a referendum aiming to transfer redistricting authority to an independent commission, but the state Supreme Court deemed that initiative unconstitutional. In response, GOP Representative Ryan Spain has put forth a constitutional amendment to establish a nonpartisan commission responsible for mapmaking.
At present, Democrats hold a significant majority in the Illinois General Assembly, occupying 78 out of 118 House seats and 40 out of 59 Senate seats. In the congressional delegation, Democrats outnumber Republicans by a ratio of 14 to 3, holding both U.S. Senate seats. The complaint submitted by McCombie and the five voters urges the Supreme Court to appoint a special master to create a new legislative map.
With the court leaning Democratic, possessing a 5-2 majority, Republicans remain hopeful that the justices will consider the complaint seriously and afford it a fair examination. Representative Dan Ugaste, a Republican from Geneva, who has long advocated for election reforms, expressed hope that changes could be implemented prior to the candidate petitioning phase beginning in December 2026.
Ugaste pointed out that during the 2022 elections, Democratic legislative candidates garnered 50% of the total votes cast statewide but ended up with 66% of the available seats. Furthermore, there are numerous districts dominated by a single party, resulting in a lack of competitive races. “The prevalence of uncontested elections indicates that many representatives might be in office not due to electoral success, but merely because they completed the necessary paperwork for candidacy,” Ugaste stated.
When asked if Republicans would likely secure majorities in the General Assembly under an independently drawn map, Spain remarked that it is a possibility. However, he emphasized that this is not the core issue at hand. “Even if the partisan distribution within the Illinois House remained unchanged, it’s evident that the current system is flawed. We are not effectively empowering voters to shape their government or influence its operational structure. Therefore, reform is necessary,” Spain concluded.
