Two Proposed Constitutional Amendments Live To See Another Day
Dave Dahl -- Illinois Radio Network
The two citizen-initiated constitutional amendments which would go before Illinois voters in November live to see at least one more day.
The State Board of Elections has given the Term Limits and Reform question the go-ahead to be on the ballot, having ruled it has enough valid signatures. The Yes for Independent Maps amendment, which would depoliticize the redistricting process, has been given more time to “rehabilitate,” or document, its questionable signatures.
Term Limits and Reform, backed by Republican governor candidate Bruce Rauner, is threefold:
- It would limit state lawmakers to eight years in office
- It would raise the threshold by which lawmakers can override a governor’s veto
- It would change the number of members of the General Assembly, increasing the House from 118 members to 123, and decreasing the Senate from 58 members to 41.
“The voters in Illinois are very smart, and the voters in Illinois are quite fed up with the status quo,” said Term Limits and Reform executive director Mark Campbell. “They know that if they want change, they have to vote for change, and, in addition to some other things on the ballot, the best way they can make change in Springfield is to pass term limit legislation.”
“We’re actually checking the signatures against the voter file in real time,” says Yes for Independent Maps campaign manager Michael Kolenc. “We know exactly what our validity rate is, but, unfortunately, because of the rushed, uneven, closed-door process the state board ran, we’re in this position today.”
The term limit question is being challenged in court, with the latest hearing scheduled for Wednesday in Chicago.
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