Metro East Sun

Sen. Jason Plummer (R-Edwardsville) expressed his dissatisfaction at the way state Sen. Elgie Sims (D-Chicago) gave him the impression of ignoring his questions during a Senate redistricting hearing.

Plummer asked Sims if he knows what data have been used in the map drawing portal and whether the committees would plan “to use the same data set to draw the actual map that is being used or will be used to drive the map-making portal” which the Chicago senator responded that he has no knowledge on the information but would get back to him once he has them.

“I was just asking that same question and there was no answer and then two minutes later I hear we’re using ACS data,” Plummer addressed Sims. “Is that a specific year of ACS data or the five-year rolling average or enhanced? Obviously, if there have been hundreds of accounts set up it would be useful for them to know.”

Plummer’s comment came after Sim responded to a witness that “the data in the system now is ACS data. That’s in the system now. There’s no final decision on the final decision to be made but that’s the data in there now.”

“It’s troubling to me that you told me multiple times that you didn’t know what data was and then when a witness asked, you stated it was ACS data. I would ask that this is an extraordinarily important,” Plummer argued.

Sims clarified that he just found out the answer.

“A lot of people are interested in using this portal,” Plummer started to end the discussion. “Can you commit to getting the deadline of when the portal maps will be accepted, pushed out to the public so they will know and meet the deadline, and can you confirm with ACS data is utilized because that’s important to know. You and I both know that ACS data is different chunks of data. If you could share at your earliest convenience which ACS data is being used, I’d appreciate it.”

An Illinois redistricting witness was troubled by the exchange between the senators.

The redrawing of maps would have an enormous impact on future elections, and the GOP is advocating to remove lawmakers from re-setting the boundaries and instead create the maps through an independent redistricting commission.

A bipartisan effort to make similar revisions in the constitution was previously supported but little progress has been made.