Illinois Legislative Redistricting Challenge (Contreras)

Lawsuit filed on behalf of individual Latino voters challenging the 2021 legislative maps signed into law by Gov. J. B. Pritzker (D). The complaint alleges that the maps, which were drawn using preliminary population estimates after the delayed release of 2020 census data, are unconstitutional and should be replaced with maps based on the 2020 census data. After the Illinois Legislature passed revised maps following the release of 2020 census data, the defendants moved to dismiss this case and the related case for mootness. The court ruled that 1) the legislative maps passed in June created with preliminary population data are unconstitutional and cannot be used and 2) the court will take over the redistricting process and use revised legislative maps passed by the Illinois Legislature in September following the release of 2020 census data as a “starting point.” The three-judge panel upheld the legislative districts enacted in September and declined to order the creation of new maps that include more majority-Latino and majority-Black districts. 

Last updated: December 30, 2021 1:58 pm EST