Signed, Sealed, and Delivered

A significant date has come and gone for the people of Illinois.

On May 1, 2014, the Independent Maps campaign, sponsoring an amendment to the Illinois state constitution, submitted the paperwork to the Illinois State Board of Elections to get the measure on the ballot in November 2014, including over 532,000 signatures, well over the minimum of 298,000.  The amendment, upon approval by Illinois voters, will create an independent commission charged with the task of redrawing the legislative districts in Illinois every 10 years.

From December to April, I took my part to help the campaign by collecting signatures.

When I first heard about the efforts of this campaign to get the Illinois State Constitution amended to change the process of legislative redistricting, I was very pleased, and I thought it was a fantastic idea.  I saw it as an effort to take this task away from partisan interests and give the voters more power in their own government.

I was eager to sign the petitions being circulated to get the amendment up for a vote in November 2014.  But then I looked to do more.  So I requested petitions from the campaign so I could circulate them myself.  Thinking that each sheet had 10 signature spaces, I requested 3, so I would collect 30 signatures.  As it turns out, each sheet had 15, so I had to get 45.  But then, because of a goof-up with the request I sent to the campaign, I ended up with 7 petition sheets.  I gave a couple to a neighbor who enthusiastically wanted to circulate some himself.

All in all, since December, I managed to get 75 signatures.  It was a good opportunity for me to get out and about seeking people who would sign.

A few instances, I went out in the general public to get signatures, which was how I brought it to the attention of the aforementioned neighbor.  A lot of the signatures I got from asking people in my own circles, including family, friends, co-workers, neighbors, and others I know in the community.  It was a good opportunity for me to talk about the campaign with people, refining my communication skills as I explained to people what the campaign is about, and what impact it could have, not to mention work on promoting something I feel strongly about.

It was also interesting to watch people's various reactions.  One person openly expressed skepticism that this would do anything--but agreed to sign it anyway.  Some people shrugged and then signed, not really understanding what effect this would have. Others were glad to sign the sheets I had.  And still others readily agreed with the idea behind the campaign and eagerly signed.

After all the efforts to get signatures, I sensed a grand feeling within me walking into my bank to get the petition sheets notarized--another opportunity, that of the process of notarizing documents.  A couple of days later, I mailed those sheets to the campaign headquarters to be counted along with thousands of other signatures.

So the campaign has made an important advance.  Now it's on to the work of promoting it so that the voters of Illinois will approve it come November.  So be on the look out for it.  In the meantime, you can find out more information at independentmaps.org.

Throughout it all, I can say it has been great to be part of an effort where people are motivated to solve a problem with a real, substantial solution.  It's about the people shaping their government to be truly theirs, because that's the American way.