Leaders suspend latest effort to reform Illinois redistricting

Bill Daley and Ray LaHood say the timing is 'not ripe' amid polarized national climate on gerrymandering

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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A bipartisan push to let Illinois voters amend the state constitution to reduce politics in drawing state legislative maps has been suspended, with organizers Bill Daley and Ray LaHood saying the timing is 'not ripe' amid a polarized climate shaped by mid-decade congressional gerrymandering wars nationwide.

Why it matters

This marks the third time in just over a decade that voters in Illinois will not get a chance to vote on a constitutional initiative to make the drawing of state legislative district boundaries more independent and reduce political gerrymandering. Redistricting reform is seen as essential to making government more accountable and less captive to political extremism and polarization.

The details

The proposed amendment would have stripped the Illinois legislature of its direct mapmaking duties for the General Assembly and instead given that power to a 12-member commission, with the four legislative leaders each appointing one member of their caucus and two people who aren't members of the General Assembly. The Supreme Court would have submitted two names in a random draw to break a tie. The plan also would have prevented commissioners from considering voters' past voting history.

  • The proposal aimed to collect signatures by May 3, 2026 to secure a spot on the November 3, 2026 general election ballot.
  • Similar proposals in 2014 and 2016 were struck down by the courts.

The players

Bill Daley

Former chief of staff to Democratic President Barack Obama and the brother and son of two Chicago mayors.

Ray LaHood

Former Republican Congressman who represented the Peoria area and later served as Obama's transportation secretary.

JB Pritzker

Democratic Governor of Illinois who signed the 2021 legislative map but voiced support for an independent commission to draw the maps.

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What they’re saying

“Unfortunately, the outrageous national gerrymandering battle initiated by President Trump has emboldened partisans to retreat to the extremes, but the vast majority of voters in Illinois and throughout the country know redistricting reform is desperately needed.”

— Bill Daley, Former chief of staff to Democratic President Barack Obama (Chicago Tribune)

“Redistricting reform is an essential step to making government more accountable and less captive to the extremism and polarization that defines our national politics. Absurdly drawn districts deny voters a meaningful role in our democracy, and it deepens distrust in government to an increasingly existential level.”

— Ray LaHood, Former Republican Congressman and Obama transportation secretary (Chicago Tribune)

What’s next

Organizers say they hope to resurrect the redistricting reform effort in 2028 and 2030, ahead of the once-per-decade remap of Illinois House and Senate district boundaries following the 2030 federal census.

The takeaway

This failed effort highlights the ongoing challenges of reducing political influence in the redistricting process, even in a state like Illinois where there is broad public support for reform. The highly polarized national climate around gerrymandering has made it difficult to build the necessary bipartisan coalition to enact meaningful change.