Amendment Aims to Make Redistricting Fair

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As part of the Independent Map Amendment campaign, AARP Illinois is backing a proposed constitutional amendment that would make the process of drawing legislative districts nonpartisan and transparent.

“With the state mired in a budget crisis, it’s critical that citizens have the ability to elect their representatives, rather than the other way around,” said Bob Gallo, AARP state director. “Under the current process, politicians are gerrymandering districts to choose constituents who will keep them in office.”

In 2014, 82 of the 137 legislative races in Illinois had only one candidate on the ballot.

The campaign is seeking 600,000 signatures to put the amendment before Illinois voters in November. To learn more about the issue and to track the number of signatures gathered so far, go to MapAmendment.org.