IL Redistricting Initiative Short on Signatures

Thu, May 29 2014 by Neal Hobson

Proponents of the “Yes for Independent Maps” initiative campaign in Illinois were dealt a blow last week when election authorities found over half the signatures checked as part of a random sample were invalid.  Officials within the initiative campaign attacked the random sample process, contending there are more than enough valid signatures to put the measure on the ballot in November.

“We believe that the state ran a rushed, uneven, and back-room signature validation process, and that’s the reason for the unacceptable validity rate,” said Campaign Manager Michael Kolenc.

The State Board of elections found that only 46 percent of the signatures were valid from a 5 percent sample taken at random from the slightly more than 500,000 signatures submitted.  The Illinois constitution requires initiative sponsors to deliver 298,399 signatures of valid registered voters in order to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot by petition.

The “Yes for Independent Maps” measure would amend the Illinois constitution, creating an independent commission of 11 people, who would redraw the state’s legislative districts.

Another initiative in Illinois dealing with term limits and other reforms submitted almost 600,000 signatures, and a similar 5 percent random sampling is currently being validated.

Bloomington Pantagraph: IL Redistricting Group Lacks Signatures
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/illinois-redistricting-group-lacks-signatures/article_231990e9-af5d-5c59-a4b2-ce29956201e7.html

KWQC Springfield CBS TV coverage
http://www.kwqc.com/story/25578835/illinois-redistricting-group-lacking-signatures


Ballotpedia Background on the Initiative Amendment
http://ballotpedia.org/Illinois_Independent_Redistricting_Amendment_(2014)