Illinois Stands as the Poster Child for Gerrymandering and Its Consequences

As JB Pritzker inserts himself into Texas gerrymandering controversy, let’s hope it draws needed attention to Illinois gerrymandering sins and its enduring controversy 

The high-profile redistricting fight in Texas has refocused national attention on the deeply undemocratic practice of gerrymandering. Both Republican and Democratic leaders have historically manipulated election boundaries to secure partisan advantage. Amid the current Texas standoff, Governor JB Pritzker’s attempt to insert himself into the fray — going so far as to offer Illinois as a "sanctuary" for Texas Democrats seeking to prevent a Republican redistricting — may serve Illinois if it draws long-overdue scrutiny to one of America's most gerrymandered and politically entrenched states.

Political and racial gerrymandering distorts and undermines representative democracy. It allows officials to choose their voters rather than voters choosing their representatives. The practice is a perversion of democracy as it sets legislative district lines — whether on the state or federal level — for the purpose of giving one party or the other a partisan advantage. Gerrymandering also destroys political accountability as it minimizes the political consequences for unresponsive government and failed policies

It is astonishing to hear talk from Democratic-led states such as Illinois, California, and Massachusetts about "further gerrymandering" to counter moves in Texas — all in the name of “saving democracy.” The Republican presence is already minimal: Illinois holds just 3 of its 17 House seats for Republicans, California only 9 out of 52, and in Massachusetts, not a single Republican serves in Congress.

The spotlight Pritzker brings should, in fact, expose Illinois as a cautionary tale of one-party dominance imposed and perpetuated through aggressive map manipulation. Illinois doesn’t just gerrymander its congressional districts — its legislative maps are just as artfully drawn, rendering even statewide Republican victories largely symbolic. The modern Illinois map is designed not only to cement Democratic majorities but also to reward identity politics and stifle dissenting voices.

Governor Pritzker, despite pledging in 2018 to veto any legislator-drawn redistricting maps, instead presided over the 2021 map, intensifying Democratic control in Congress and ensuring a virtual veto-proof supermajority in both chambers of the state legislature. When pressed by Stephen Colbert about Illinois’ notorious maps, Pritzker shrugged off criticism with an offhand joke about kindergartners drawing them — a candid admission of just how distorted the process has become.

For nearly four decades, Illinois has functioned as an effective one-party state, a reality entrenched by gerrymandered legislative maps that guarantee Democratic domination — not only in Congress but throughout the state government and judiciary. Long-serving bosses like Michael Madigan exemplify the results of such unchecked power. This political environment has moved farther left over time, preferring a tax-and-spend model of governing that favors government expansion over economic growth.

Equity is consistently invoked as the rationale for nearly every major policy. Since at least 2019, when Pritzker became governor and progressive supermajorities took hold, "equity" became the central guiding principle. Yet, according to a 2025 WalletHub study, Illinois ranks dead last in the nation for economic equity, despite imposing the seventh-highest state and local tax burden in America. The same report finds Black Illinoisans among those suffering most, with the state ranking poorly in overall opportunities and high in outmigration, particularly among higher-income residents and Black families.

Governor Pritzker’s tax and spending policies have deepened these woes. Since taking office, he’s presided over dozens of tax and fee increases (over 50 since 2019), generating billions in new revenue while Illinois remains one of the most expensive states for residents and businesses alike. Even with a record $54 billion in revenue for Fiscal Year 2025, the state’s budgets increasingly rely on temporary fixes and higher taxes, with no true surplus or structural reform. Chicago, the state’s economic engine, continues to struggle with serious deficits, despite having received billions in federal COVID-19 relief funds.

Illinois’ generous “sanctuary” programs have not come cheap. Insulated by gerrymandered maps shielding politicians from any real political accountability, state and local governments have spent, or plan to spend, more than $2.5 billion supporting migrants and undocumented immigrants between July 2022 and the end of 2025, with the majority of funds allocated to healthcare. These rising costs are straining state coffers even further, forcing state and local tax increases on local residents and diverting potential investment in struggling communities.

Despite claims of record job growth, Illinois’ private sector has stagnated. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Illinois achieved a net gain of just 15,500 private sector jobs since January 2019 — the fourth worst of any state. In stark contrast, Texas and Florida netted over 1 million new jobs each in the same span. High taxes, heavy regulation, and fiscal uncertainty continue to drive both residents and businesses away.

Outmigration is perhaps the state’s most telling statistic. Over the past three years, Illinois lost more than 420,000 residents, ranking third for outbound moves after California and New York. Most alarming is the loss of higher-income households and young professionals — those most vital to the state’s economic health. Polls consistently show half of Illinoisans would leave if able, driven by high taxes, poor governance, crime, educational decline, and fiscal instability.

The hollowing out of the population is particularly acute among Black residents. Chicago’s Black citizenry has sharply declined, with over 250,000 fewer Black residents than in 2000. The number of Black children in the city has dropped by nearly half, and public school enrollment stands at less than half its level from 2000 as the Black exodus has specifically been overwhelmingly middle income families with children.

As Pritzker criticizes gerrymandering in Texas, Illinois remains a leading example of why this practice — and the one-party rule it enables — is so damaging. Residents pay among the country’s highest taxes while enduring stagnating job markets and is the least equitable among states. By contrast Texas, ranked 40th in overall tax burden, has attracted over 1.4 million more private sector jobs since 2019 and ranks thirteenth in racial equity. Seeking allies in Illinois to block gerrymandering in Texas is akin to aligning with Iran on women’s issues.

The bottom line: While Illinois’ leaders claim to advance an inclusive, progressive vision, reality is one of higher taxes, persistent deficits, stagnant growth, and mass outmigration. Illinois seems to be exchanging middle and affluent residents for illegal migrants. With nearly unbreakable one-party control, the cycle of decline and gerrymandering continues. Let’s hope Pritzker’s “Safeguarding Democracy” draws attention to the fact that democracy is being deliberately and systematically undermined in Illinois with devastating consequences.