By Andy Dahn

BLOOMINGTON – Two state groups are hoping to put an end to allegedly gerrymandered legislative district drawing in Illinois.

The Independent Map Coalition and the Illinois Farm Bureau are seeking 600,000 petition signatures of registered voters by April of 2016 to send to the state Board of Elections. Director of State Legislation for the Farm Bureau Kevin Semlow said the proposed amendment would create an 11-member independent redistricting commission and could clear up local confusion.

“It would try to honor local government boundaries, other political units of government boundaries and even ethnicity boundaries so that you don’t split populations up that are of like-mindedness,” Semlow said. “So you would hope that a place like Bloomington-Normal would be in one district.”

Semlow explained what the groups would like to see change with district drawing.

“What we’d like to get to is a more unbiased redistricting process that is done by 11 commissioners that are more independent,” said Semlow. “They will come together and draw a map based on more demographic and geographic information rather than pulling for parties.”

The reason the Farm Bureau supports the amendment, Semlow said, is fairness.

“Our members are just very adamant that this is a much more fair process for everyone,” Semlow said. “Not just for farmers, it’s better for all citizens of Illinois.”

You can sign the petition online and learn more about the proposed amendment at mapamendment.org.

Andy Dahn can be reached at [email protected].