SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (NEXSTAR) -- Democrat lawmakers released their first draft of the new legislative maps.
The proposal for the Senate districts can be viewed here, and the proposal for the House districts can be viewed here.
Once a map is passed by both chambers and signed by the governor, the districts will be used in elections for the next decade.
Democrats used the American Community Survey's population estimate from 2019 to draw the district lines. Official U.S. Census data will not come out as scheduled, and could be delayed until September.
Republicans wanted to delay the map-making process until that census data was out.
"If we use data that is less accurate, less reliable, we put at risk the very communities that are supposed to be protected by the constitution and the voting rights act," Republican Senator Jason Barickman said Friday afternoon.
Illinois Democratic Senator Dick Durbin was in Springfield Friday, too. He said the blame should be pointed at the Federal Government instead of State Democrat for the lack of data.
"The General Assembly faces a real dilemma, I agree with the premise that we want to draw the map with the most accurate information, but that is not available in a timely matter because of the pandemic and the political problems of the last administration," Durbin said.
Democrats are holding a series of public hearings to discuss the new maps next week. The legislative session is scheduled to end on May 31st.
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