In a recent appearance on Chicago’s Morning Answer, election integrity attorney J. Christian Adams discussed a new federal lawsuit targeting Illinois’ redistricting practices. Adams, president and general counsel of the Public Interest Legal Foundation, brought the case on, arguing that Illinois law mandates the very type of racial gerrymandering the U.S. Supreme Court recently declared unconstitutional. The lawsuit follows the Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which reaffirmed that states cannot use race as the predominant factor when drawing electoral districts. This violates the 15th Amendment’s prohibition on using racial criteria to allocate political power. Adams explained that Illinois statutes explicitly require the creation of “crossover,” “coalition,” and “influence” districts based on racial and language minority populations — language that directly conflicts with the Court’s ruling.
“Illinois built one of the clearest race-based redistricting regimes in the country,” Adams noted, pointing out that Governor JB Pritzker himself has publicly defended the practice while criticizing the Supreme Court decision as “voter suppression.”The discussion highlighted how the Chicago media has largely ignored the story despite national coverage. Adams referenced WTTW’s own reporting on the 2021 maps, which acknowledged Democrats’ focus on protecting Black and Latino districts despite shifting demographics. He argued this reflects a broader resistance to the post-Callais legal reality.
Adams drew parallels to other cases, including Petteway v. Galveston in Texas, where courts rejected forced coalition districts combining racial groups. Illinois law, he said, codifies the exact approach now deemed illegal. The attorney predicted a vigorous defense from the state, noting that challenges to racial preferences in voting and other areas often drag on for years. He cited his own decade-long fight in a Guam case involving racial voting restrictions. While new maps before the 2026 midterms are unlikely, Adams emphasized the importance of the principle: race should not determine electoral power. Adams also addressed the hypocrisy surrounding Illinois’ maps. Pritzker had campaigned on creating an independent redistricting commission, yet Democrats drew the maps behind closed doors. The suit challenges maps for legislative, congressional, school board, and county board districts.
Adams stressed that when white voters elect Black candidates — as with Congresswoman Lauren Underwood in a majority-white district — it undermines claims of racially polarized voting needed to justify race-based remedies under the Voting Rights Act. The interview underscored a core constitutional issue: using race to draw district lines is not only illegal under current Supreme Court precedent but contrary to the color-blind principles of the Civil Rights Movement and the 15th Amendment. This lawsuit represents another front in the battle against identity politics in election administration. With Illinois’ maps among the most explicitly race-conscious in the nation, the case could have significant implications for the state’s political future.