Fact check: Is Illinois gerrymandered?

1. Summary of the results

Yes, Illinois is gerrymandered. Multiple sources confirm that Illinois' congressional and legislative maps are gerrymandered, with overwhelming evidence supporting this conclusion.

The Princeton University Gerrymandering Project gave Illinois' maps a failing grade ("F") for partisan fairness, geographic features, and competitiveness ^{[1] [2]}. This academic assessment provides objective evidence of gerrymandering in the state.

Governor JB Pritzker has been directly confronted about Illinois' gerrymandered districts, including by late-night host Stephen Colbert who pressed him on the gerrymandered sections of Illinois congressional districts ^[3]. When defending against these allegations, Pritzker claimed the maps were drawn after public and legislative hearings with input from the public ^[4].

Illinois Republicans have actively challenged the gerrymandered maps in court, arguing that the state's legislative maps favor Democrats ^[5]. However, the Illinois Supreme Court rejected House Republicans' lawsuit against the Democratic gerrymandered legislative maps, ruling that Republicans waited too long to file their challenge under the laches doctrine ^{[6] [7]}.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question lacks several important contextual elements:

• Illinois is part of a broader national gerrymandering strategy. The sources reveal that gerrymandering efforts are connected to a potential Republican strategy to lock in House seats before the 2026 midterms, with Texas attempting to redraw congressional districts as part of this broader effort ^[8].
• The gerrymandering benefits Democratic politicians and the Democratic Party by creating a congressional delegation that is skewed towards Democrats ^[1]. Governor Pritzker and other Democratic leaders benefit from maintaining these district boundaries that favor their party's electoral prospects.
• There are procedural and legal barriers to challenging gerrymandering. The Illinois Supreme Court's rejection of the Republican lawsuit demonstrates that even when gerrymandering is acknowledged, legal challenges face significant procedural hurdles, with timing being crucial for court acceptance ^{[5] [9]}.
• The gerrymandering affects both congressional and legislative districts, not just one type of electoral map. The sources discuss both congressional redistricting and legislative maps, showing the scope of gerrymandering extends beyond federal elections ^{[5] [7]}.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question "Is Illinois gerrymandered?" appears neutral and does not contain obvious misinformation. However, the framing could be considered incomplete because:

• It doesn't acknowledge the established academic consensus that Illinois is indeed gerrymandered, as confirmed by the Princeton University Gerrymandering Project's failing grade ^[1].
• The question implies uncertainty where there is actually clear evidence. Multiple sources confirm gerrymandering exists, making this more of a factual matter than an open question.
• It doesn't specify which type of districts are being questioned - congressional or legislative - when both are affected by gerrymandering in Illinois ^{[1] [5]}.

The question itself is not biased, but it could benefit from more specific framing given the substantial evidence that gerrymandering is present in Illinois.