Dupage Policy Journal

Amy Grant, the Illinois State House District 47 Representative, has called for an end to partisan gerrymandering during the legislative map-making process. She made this statement on Facebook on February 12.

"We are fighting for fairness in the legislative mapmaking process," said Grant, State Representative, according to Facebook. "We must continue our work to end partisan gerrymandering, hold politicians accountable, and ultimately give voters their voices back."

According to a report by WTTW, a lawsuit has been filed by Republican lawmakers, including House Minority Leader Tony McCombie. The lawsuit challenges the 2021 legislative maps drawn by Democrats, alleging they violate the state constitution. The complaint argues that these maps create non-contiguous districts lacking compactness and population equality. The article also notes that State Representative Dan Ugaste claimed Republicans received 70,000 more votes than Democrats in 2022, which would have resulted in a Republican majority of 60 seats compared to the Democrats' 58.

Screenshot of State Representative Amy Grant's Feb. 12 post on Facebook | State Representative Amy Grant's Facebook page

The lawsuit, filed by McCombie and five registered voters, targets the Illinois State Board of Elections and its members. It contends that the legislative districts were drawn to benefit Democrats, preventing Republican voters from electing their preferred candidates. The plaintiffs claim this level of gerrymandering is unconstitutional, referencing House Resolution 443, which admitted that District 26 was redrawn "for political purposes" without proper public input. They are seeking a declaration that the current maps are unconstitutional and call for appointing a Special Map Master to create fairer district maps.

Capitol News Illinois reports that the lawsuit also raises concerns about compactness, questioning whether current districts meet appropriate spatial requirements. The plaintiffs argue that these maps suffer from similar deficiencies as those identified in a 1981 ruling where two districts were invalidated due to compactness issues.

Grant represents the 47th House District in Illinois. Before her tenure in the state legislature, she served six years on the DuPage County Board from 2012 to 2018. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Education from the University of Pittsburgh and is a long-time resident of Wheaton. Grant and her husband actively participate in their community through organizations such as the DuPage County Historical Museum Board and the Glen Oaks Hospital Community Partnership Committee.