Illinois redistricting measure defeated by lawmakers, initiative falls short
April 30, 2010
SPRINGFIELD, Illinois: Efforts to amend Illinois redistricting laws failed yesterday. Three proposals were filed for consideration: an initiated constitutional amendment and two legislatively referred constitutional amendments. Of the two legislatively referred constitutional amendments, one was filed by Republicans and another by Democrats. By late April, only two proposals remained contestants following Republicans announcement to support the citizens initiative, also known as the Fair Map Amendment.[1] But by April 29 the remaining proposals were shot down.
Despite the Senate voting 36-22 on April 14, 2010, the House shot down the proposed Democratic redistricting plan with a vote of 69-47 on April 29, 2010; falling 2 votes shy of the two-thirds requirement.[2] The vote came the same day that Gov. Pat Quinn offered a statement against the proposed amendment. "I’m not sure it’s a reform or not, to be honest. Too often this is an exercise of protecting incumbents of both parties. I don’t think that’s healthy," said Quinn.[3]
Also, on April 29, 2010 initiative supporters announced that they failed to collect sufficient signatures. A minimum of 278,934 valid signatures were required by May 2, 2010.As of April 19, initiative supporters reported gathering more than 120,000 petition signatures; still falling short of the 278,934 signature requirement.[4][5]
See also
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Footnotes
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Illinois Democrats, Republicans offer dueling redistricting plans," April 26, 2010
- ↑ Chicago Tribune, "Illinois House votes down redistricting reform," April 29, 2010
- ↑ The Pantagraph, "Illinois district remap plan defeated," April 29, 2010
- ↑ The Telegraph, "Fair Map Amendment in peril," April 19, 2010
- ↑ Chicago Public Radio, "Dem Redistricting Plan Fails, Citizens Initiative Falls Short," April 29, 2010 (dead link)
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