The League of Women Voters’ Peoria Area chapter has been holding informational meetings about legislative redistricting reform over the past year. (Chronicle Media photo)

Organizers behind a grassroots effort aimed at changing state legislation in how political boundary maps are drawn are hoping the third time is a charm in this year’s renewed campaign.

On the heels of two failed petitions — one in 2010, the other in 2014 — a Chicago-based organization known as the Independent Maps Coalition emerged a year ago and has since vigorously gathered signatures to bring an independent map amendment referendum question to the November ballot.

Jim Bray, spokesman for the committee, said he and other organizers are on track for meeting their own goal of gathering 600,000 signatures. At last count, Bray said about 510,000 signatures have been collected.

Illinois law set the threshold at 290,000 signatures, but Bray said the group set the bar to twice that amount in the event some signatures were found invalid by canvassers. As a starting point in having the referendum question considered on the November ballot, all signatures are due by late April.

Similar to the previous two efforts, this year’s petition drive is an attempt toward creating a bipartisan legislative map-drawing process.

If the binding referendum question were to wind up on the November ballot and pass by a super majority of voters, an independent commission — not politicians themselves — would be tasked with drawing legislative boundaries.

Cindy Canary had been managing the Independent Map Amendment campaign and continues as a consultant.

“We view this as a key reform in this state,” Bray said. “It’s not the only thing Illinois needs to change, but I think it will result in a more fair election process.”

Pointing to the number of uncontested county and state elections, Bray added, “We also hope it will lead to more competitive elections in the future.”

The first attempt at bringing this issue to a referendum failed in 2010 because not enough signatures were gathered. Two years ago, the second effort was tossed out because language within the proposed text amendment was not ruled constitutional.

Bray said he and other organizers remain undeterred in their efforts to bring this to the ballot box, however. One last vigorous signature drive is slated for the upcoming March 15 primary election.

“From what I’ve seen in other states, it is not uncommon for it to take several tries before (a referendum question) moves forward,” Bray said. “Compared to other states, Illinois law is very limiting in what kinds of citizen reforms can be pursued, so we think this is important.”

The proposed redistricting amendment has the backing of a number of disparate groups. A sample includes all statewide chapters of the League of Women Voters, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, Small Business Advisory Council and the Union League Club of Chicago.

Gary Stella, spokesman for the League of Women Voters’ Peoria chapter, said the organization has done its part in Central Illinois to get the word out about the signature drive. Volunteers have been meeting Saturday mornings in February and will continue doing so throughout March at the Thirty-Thirty coffee shop in Peoria to gather signatures.

Jim Bray, spokesman for the Independent Maps Coalition

“It’s been an uphill battle,” Stella said of bringing this issue to the ballot. “But no one’s giving up. There are people who don’t want Illinois to be a one-party state any longer.”

Neither the Democratic Party of Illinois nor the Illinois Republican Party have issued official statements on the most recent ballot effort. Calls and emails for comments to both organizations were unanswered.

But State Rep. and House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, has publicly expressed concern about the proposal. Madigan also serves as chair of the Democratic Party of Illinois.

“The independent map proposal would negate the protections that were put in place — there’s no question about that,” Madigan said in a statement in February as he compared the changes to existing legislation.

For more information, visit http://www.mapamendment.org/index.html.

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— Deadline looms for getting legislative map effort on ballot —