Ives Sues Pritzker Over Illinois Maps, Seeking Redraw of Legislative Districts Under 2011 Voting Rights Act
Updated
Updated · Edgar County Watchdogs · May 8
Ives Sues Pritzker Over Illinois Maps, Seeking Redraw of Legislative Districts Under 2011 Voting Rights Act
6 articles · Updated · Edgar County Watchdogs · May 8
Former state representative Jeanne Ives sued Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Elections in federal court, challenging Illinois’ current legislative districts as unlawful racial gerrymanders.
The complaint argues the 2011 Illinois Voting Rights Act requires mapmakers to preserve racial percentages, majorities and influence districts, allegedly violating the Fifteenth Amendment and Section 2(a) of the federal Voting Rights Act.
Filed in the Middle District of Illinois, the suit says the state intentionally distorted district boundaries along racial lines to create crossover, coalition and influence districts.
Ives is asking the court to declare the 2011 state law unconstitutional, a ruling that could force Illinois to redraw its current legislative map.
After a landmark Supreme Court ruling, is Illinois’ own voting rights law now unconstitutional?
As federal voting protections change, can states legally create their own safeguards for minority voters?