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Update October 3, 2017: The full transcript has been released for the oral argument in Gill v. Whitford. Check out the transcript below. The Supreme Court heard oral argument Tuesday in Gill v. Whitford, a case out of Wisconsin that challenges the state's gerrymandered legislative districts. Gill v. Whitford is significant because it is the first case that a federal court ruled electoral maps unconstitutional not on the basis of race or class discrimination, but political discrimination. The d

Party politics is killing America and Illinois. It is not enough to just elect different people into a bad system. We have to fundamentally change politics, and that starts with real open primaries. The 2016 presidential election has opened the eyes of Americans who are more aware than ever of a rigged political system working against the voters. Americans are fed up with a political party establishment more interested in their side “winning” than in what is best for the country. This toxic b

With Illinois remaining in political and budgetary gridlock, the governor may soon face challenges from within his own party. Governor Bruce Rauner, a Republican elected in 2014, may sign Illinois House Bill 40. If passed, it would provide state funding for abortions through Medicaid and state health insurance programs. The bill also contains a provision to prevent the decriminalization of abortion in Illinois if Roe v. Wade is overturned. The governor this spring indicated he would veto the b

President Donald Trump’s quest for uncovering election fraud may find new life in Illinois. After winning the 2016 election Trump charged that "millions" of people cast illegal votes. In May, Trump issued an executive order forming the Presidential Advisory Commission on Election Integrity. With the use of data from states, the commission expects to release a report on voting irregularities by comparing the states with a new federal list. Like many other states, the Illinois State Board of E

"A cancer on our democracy." Those are the words U.S. District Judge James K. Bredar used to describe the two-party gerrymandering scheme going on in Maryland and across the country. A US district court sided with GOP voters Friday, describing Maryland's redistricting process as "nefarious activity." They found sufficient evidence that the Democratic majority drew district boundaries to make it easier to knock out a GOP incumbent and take all, but one congressional seat. It is the second time

ILLINOIS - Political reform in Illinois comes slowly, but one group is renewing the effort to put redistricting back in the hands of the people. After each decennial census, a state’s district maps are redrawn. In most states, politicians draw the boundaries which generally favor the majority party. As in the case of Illinois after 2010, Democrats held the governor’s office and veto-proof majorities in the state legislature. Consequently, they redrew district boundaries without Republican inpu

There is big news for the Libertarian Party: It can add one more state where it has official party status and ballot access for the 2018 midterms. Ballot Access News reported Monday that the LP's petition for party status was validated by the Arkansas secretary of state on July 7. This means the Libertarian Party has ballot access in 39 states, plus the District of Columbia for some or all races in the midterm elections. RELATED ARTICLE: Libertarian Takeover: More Lawmakers Are Ditching The Ma

A survey of attendees at the 2017 People’s Summit in Chicago -- conducted by members of Independent Voting’s national network -- probed: 1. Whether concern over the process by which the 2016 presidential elections were conducted had faded; 2. Whether the American people could directly engage the issue of political power; and 3. If the Democratic Party could be a vehicle to effect empowerment for the American people, or if partisan interests would prevent it from doing so. The 20-question su

For the first time in history, a state might file for bankruptcy protection. That's what happens when you operate three years without a budget. Illinois has a full-fledged financial crisis on its hands. Not even the lottery is safe. Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner went so far to say Illinois is entering "banana republic" territory. With billions in unpaid bills and pension obligations, the state has a cash crunch, the likes of which has never been seen. Rauner has called for a special session

Much can be made from former Homeland Security Chief Jeh Johnson's House Intelligence Committee testimony on alleged Russian meddling as well as Illinois election officials' testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee on the same subject. As it relates to Johnson's testimony, we are left with at least two very important questions: 1. Why was DHS not given access to the DNC servers after the hack into John Podesta and Hillary Clinton's emails? If in fact this was a case of Russian inter