Title: House Republicans Raise Concerns Over Illinois Constitutional Amendment Changing District Map Requirements

Illinois House Republicans and Democrats remain divided over a proposed constitutional amendment that would change the requirements for drawing legislative district maps in the state, with the measure advancing toward a potential voter referendum in November 2026.

The Illinois House approved the proposed amendment, known as HJRCA 28, which was filed by House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch and moves on to the Illinois Senate for consideration. For the amendment to appear on the fall ballot, it must be approved by the Senate by May 3, 2026.

Democratic lawmakers, including Speaker Welch and Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth of Peoria, argue the amendment strengthens protections for minority voters and responds to anticipated challenges to the federal Voting Rights Act. Gordon-Booth stated that the Supreme Court is poised to weaken the Voting Rights Act, making state-level safeguards essential to prevent racial discrimination in voting.

Welch emphasized that the proposal ensures all citizens, regardless of race, have a fair opportunity to participate in the political process and serve in the legislature. He maintained that the current district maps are constitutional and legal, countering Republican claims that they resulted from a lawsuit loss.

The amendment prioritizes near-equal population districts, equal opportunity regardless of race, the creation of districts with racial minority influence, and compact, contiguous borders. While the current law only requires districts to be compact, contiguous, and equal in population, the proposed measure adds a priority ranking to these criteria.

Republicans, led by Rep. Ryan Spain of Peoria, oppose the amendment, arguing it would further corrupt district maps they claim are already illegal due to partisan gerrymandering. Spain contends Democrats introduced the measure in response to a lawsuit Republicans lost over the current map, though Welch rejected this characterization, calling the claims unfounded.

Rep. Amy Elik of Alton criticized Gov. J.B. Pritzker for not fulfilling his campaign promise to veto partisan district maps, asserting that voters should choose their representatives rather than the reverse. Spain also raised concerns that the amendment’s priority ranking would downgrade compactness and contiguity to the lowest priority in redistricting.

The Illinois Supreme Court previously ruled in April 2025 that House Republicans waited too long to challenge the 2021 legislative maps, dismissing their lawsuit on procedural grounds. The court found that waiting multiple election cycles to argue the maps were not compact was unpersuasive, though Justice David Overstreet dissented.

As the amendment proceeds to the Senate, lawmakers remain split along party lines over its implications for fair representation, minority voting rights, and the future of redistricting in Illinois.