Welch’s Redistricting Push Rings Hollow

In a video released this week defending his latest redistricting proposal, HJRCA 28, Speaker Chris Welch claimed that “Illinois will always recognize the fundamental principle that a democracy of the people, by the people, and for the people, must include all of the people.”

That sounds nice, unless you are a Republican voter in Illinois.

For years, House Democrats have claimed they are fighting for fair representation, yet their actions tell a very different story. They have drawn legislative maps that rig the system in their favor, weaken political competition, and leave millions of Illinoisans without fair representation.

Speaker Welch also said Democrats will “keep working to protect our democracy.” But Illinois’ current redistricting record says otherwise. These maps have disenfranchised voters across the state, split communities for political gain, and helped cement a partisan stronghold for those already in power.

If Democrats were truly committed to protecting democracy, Speaker Welch would not be rushing a last-minute constitutional amendment to protect partisan power. Instead, he could have called any number of redistricting reform proposals from House Republicans that would move Illinois toward a fairer and more transparent mapmaking process, including:

• HJRCA 1 (Meier, 104th GA): Creates legislative districts made up of three contiguous counties, with a separate district structure for Cook County, and draws representative districts independently.
• HJRCA 5 (Spain, 104th GA): Creates a 16-member independent commission appointed by the Chief Justice and the senior justice from the other party, removes the current coupling requirement, requires a map by August 1 following public hearings, allows public map submissions and comments, and adds a 17th member if no plan is adopted by the deadline.
• HJRCA 12 (Cabello, 104th GA): Creates an apportionment commission with one member from each county appointed by county boards, while preserving political subdivisions and communities of interest.

And instead of working towards transparency, House Democrats are quick to point fingers at Washington and accuse others of threatening democracy. But here in Illinois, it is Speaker Welch and House Democrats who continue tightening their grip on power. Now, with HJRCA 28, they are trying to go even further by enshrining their partisan advantage in the Illinois Constitution.

House Republicans have offered HJRCA 05 to establish fair maps in Illinois but it continues to go unheard in Illinois.