Independent Maps asks Illinois Supreme Court to reconsider its 4 to 3 party line decision against redistricting reform amendment

CHICAGO, Aug. 31, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Independent Maps coalition on Wednesday filed a petition asking the Illinois Supreme Court to reconsider its recent ruling denying voters the ability to vote this November on the proposed constitutional amendment to require a transparent, impartial and fair process of drawing legislative maps.

By a 4 to 3 party line division, the Supreme Court ruled that the Independent Map Amendment is not in line with the Illinois Constitution's requirement for amendments proposed by voters. Under the Supreme Court's rules, Independent Maps has the right to point out argument the majority of the Court overlooked or misapprehended and to ask it to reconsider its ruling and its reasoning. Four votes are required to grant rehearing.

"We believe the four justices in the majority were wrong and inconsistent in their reasoning and would reach a different conclusion if they consider, as they have in all other similar cases, the legislative debates from the 1969-70 constitutional convention," said Dennis FitzSimons, Chair of Independent Maps. "More than 563,000 Illinois voters signed Independent Map Amendment petitions, and we owe it to them and thousands of volunteers across the state to make every possible effort to convince the Court that the amendment deserves to be placed before voters in November."

The petition includes the following arguments in favor of a rehearing:

• The four justices in the majority said that their decision was compelled by the "plain language" of the Illinois Constitution, which states that voters can propose a constitutional amendment only if the amendment is "limited to structural and procedural subjects contained in" the article dealing with the legislature.  However, the majority completely ignored Independent Maps' "plain language" argument explaining why the amendment meets that requirement. Because each provision in the proposed amendment is limited to redistricting and because redistricting is a "structural and procedural subject," there should be no doubt that the amendment is properly limited to a "structural and procedural subject."

For the full text of the news release of PDF of the petition for reconsideration, go to the Independent Maps website (www.MapAmendment.org)

Paid for by Support Independent Maps.  A copy of our report filed with the State Board of Elections is (or will be) available on the Board's official website (www.elections.il.gov) or for purchase from the Illinois State Board of Elections, Springfield, Illinois.

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SOURCE Independent Maps

Related Links

http://www.mapamendment.org