Dupage Policy Journal

Illinois State Rep. Terra Costa Howard (D-Lombard) has voted in support of district maps that critics consider to be heavily partisan.

According to the Chicago Sun Times, Howard previously touted her support for an independent map-making process in a Chicago Sun-Times Editorial board questionnaire.

"In a democracy, voters are supposed to have the power to choose their elected officials. But here in Illinois, as in many other states, politicians have the power to draw legislative districts to their own liking – basically allowing them to hand-pick their voters by carving up districts with prefabricated Democratic or Republican majorities," Costa Howard said in the questionnaire. "As the primary House sponsor for the Fair Maps Amendment in Illinois, I advocated strongly for an end to gerrymandering in Illinois by empowering an independent commission to draw the legislative district maps throughout the state."

Despite her claims, Costa Howard voted in support HR0443 which will push for district maps that some have criticized as being very partisan and heavily in favor of Democrats, WCIA reported.

“To no one’s surprise, this is a partisan map,” redistricting analyst Frank Calabrese told WCIA. “This will guarantee a Democratic supermajority, in my opinion, for the next 10 years. So in terms of a partisan map, this is a very good map for the Democrats.”

Calabrese predicted that Democrats could gain six or seven seats in the House under the new maps, but could  lose one or two seats in the Senate.

An independent review of the new maps indicates that they will draw 14 House Republicans and two Senate Republicans into eight districts which will force them to face off against each other in next year's primary races, according to WCIA.

WCIA previously reported that the legislative maps were drawn earlier this year behind closed doors without much in the way of transparency or public input.

"Throughout the redistricting hearings, we heard over and over again how the people wanted more transparency in the process," Sen. Sue Rezin (R-Morris) wrote in a May 10 Facebook post. "Meanwhile, Democrats have been meeting behind closed doors to review secret drafts of the map. As I recently said on Flannery Fired Up, this is NOT transparency. The people should pick their elected officials, instead of having their elected officials pick them behind closed doors."

The new maps are scheduled to go into effect in 2023.