Common Cause, the nation’s premier redistricting leader, is urging Illinois state legislators to ensure that any mid-decade redistricting meets the organization’s six fairness criteria. For weeks, rumors have swirled about the possibility of mid-decade redistricting to add an additional Democratic seat to the state’s congressional delegation during the veto period. 

"For over 50 years, Common Cause has fought to make sure voters choose their politicians, not the other way around, and we’re not going to stop now, " said Elizabeth Grossman, Common Cause Illinois Executive Director. “Common Cause opposes mid-decade redistricting that does not meet our fairness criteria. Of particular concern is the prospect that new maps might dilute the political power of Black voters in Illinois—we cannot let this happen.” 

“President Trump set off a cycle of mid-decade redistricting when he directed Texas to find him five more Republican seats,” said Dan Vicuña, Common Cause Senior Policy Director for Voting and Fair Representation. “Our fairness criteria were developed to meet this moment—to give every state engaging in mid-decade redistricting as counterbalance to President Trump’s partisan power grab a clear, consistent standard that prevents long-term harm to fair representation.” 

Common Cause does not endorse partisan gerrymandering and created its Fairness Criteria as a national framework to guide states as they navigate this escalating redistricting cycle. The criteria were developed to prevent partisan reactions—Democratic and Republican alike—from entrenching long-term inequities in representation. To date, Common Cause has evaluated mid-decade redistricting in three states: California, Missouri, and Texas. States must meet all six criteria to avoid Common Cause’s opposition.  

Common Cause’s Six Fairness Criteria:  

• Proportionality: Any mid-decade redistricting should be a targeted response proportional to the threat posed by mid-decade gerrymanders in other states. 

• Public participation: Any redistricting must include meaningful public participation, whether through ballot initiatives or open public processes.  

• Racial equity: Redistricting must not further racial discrimination or dilute the political voice of Black, Latino, Indigenous, Asian American, and Pacific Islander, or other communities of color.  

• Federal reform: A public endorsement of the John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act and the Freedom to Vote Act, including provisions banning mid-decade redistricting and partisan gerrymandering.  

• Endorsement of independent redistricting: Leaders pursuing mid-decade redistricting must publicly endorse fair, neutral redistricting processes, such as, citizen-led independent redistricting commissions. 

• Time-limited: Any new redistricting maps must expire following the 2030 Census.  

 To read more about Common Cause’s fairness criteria, haga clic aquí.  

To read Common Cause’s “50 State Report on Redistricting,” haga clic aquí.