Illinois Republicans are hoping a federal court will step in on the state’s new legislative maps.
Illinois House Republican Leader Jim Durkin and Illinois Senate Republican Leader Dan McConchie filed a lawsuit today in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois to challenge the maps drawn by Illinois Democrats that passed the Illinois General Assembly over two weeks ago and signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker last week.
The lawsuit contends that House Speaker Chris Welch, Senate President Don Harmon, their respective offices, and the Illinois State Board of Elections are allegedly violating the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution for using American Community Survey population estimates rather than actual census data, calling the use of the data arbitrary and discriminatory in the 4 count suit.
The suit also asks that since it is prior to June 30th that the court create a commission to draw the maps. In a press release from Durkin and McConchie today, they claim that 50 good government and community advocacy organizations and leaders implored the General Assembly to wait for the release of official census counts, which are expected by August 16th.