From Illinois Policy:
Illinois Democrats rejected a mid-cycle redistricting plan cooked up by U.S. Rep. Hakeem Jeffries to maximize Democratic partisan advantage in the state’s congressional district map. The reason? They don’t want to endanger their safe seats.
Opposition from Illinois Democrats has stalled a plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts as proposed by U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to counter midcycle gerrymanders in Republican-controlled states.
Democrats are right to oppose the plan that would make Illinois’ unfair map even worse. But reporting suggests their chief concern is not that the plan would disenfranchise even more voters, but the possibility of facing increased competition for their own seats.
“We have to look out and protect who we have because we fought hard to get them in,” U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, D-Chicago, said, referring to fears that Democrats would also face more highly contested races if Republican-leaning districts were made more Democratic. “I’m not a mapmaker, but it seems like it will be very difficult.”
Kelly isn’t wrong. Illinois is already considered one of the most gerrymandered congressional maps in the country, according to Princeton’s Gerrymandering Project. Illinois received failing grades in partisan fairness, competitiveness and geographic features, or “compactness.” In simple terms, that’s how oddly the districts are shaped.
Democrat Michael Quigley’s 5th Congressional District.
It also has one of the most unfair maps based on the Michigan State University and University of Michigan’s partisan advantage tracker. Only one of Illinois 2026 U.S. House races is considered competitive by the Cook Political Report. Even then, that race, the 17th District currently occupied by U.S. Rep. Eric Sorenson, D-Rockford, is a “likely Democrat” victory.
Based on the 2024 presidential election, 54% of Illinois voters are Democrats. But in Congress, Democrats hold 82% of Illinois’ U.S. House seats.
While Illinois members of Congress worry about keeping their seats safe from competition, voters in Illinois have little chance of seeing a meaningful choice on Election Day.
Electoral competition is associated with decreased corruption. As one of the most corrupt states in the country, increased competition is what Illinois desperately needs – not safer seats for incumbents.
Instead of worrying about protecting incumbents, Illinois lawmakers should work to end the state’s culture of corruption and give fair representation in Congress to all Illinoisans. One way to do that would be by getting politicians out of the process entirely and handing it to a truly independent redistricting commission to draw the map.
Until then, the map will always be a product of politicians seeking to maximize their advantage and minimize their competition. That minimizes voters’ voices.
