Happy December, Caseyville 12! Christmas is approaching quickly followed by the start of what looks to be a very exciting election year in 2022. Here are upcoming events for you to put on your calendar:

• December 8 - Candidates’ Table @ St. Clair County Republican Headquarters (address at bottom of page)
• January 19 - Candidates' Table & Petition Drive @ Eckert's Country Restaurant
• February 11 - Annual Lincoln Day Gala @ Bellecourt Manor
• June 28 - Illinois Primary election

Due to the federal decennial census occurring in 2020, Illinois and St. Clair county were required by law to reapportion voting districts according to the population reported in the census. If you have been following the news about the Congressional District map, you will have heard that Congressman Adam Kinzinger's district (IL-13) has been gerrymandered to support a Democrat operative who is moving into the state.  This Congressional map is not being challenged. On the other hand, the state Senate and Representative district maps have also been redrawn, but these are being challenged in US District Court, by the NAACP, Mexican American Legal Defense, and the minority leaders of the Illinois House and Senate. The three suits have been consolidated into a single court case, Contreras v. Ill. State Bd. of Elections. The court will hold a hearing on December 7 to hear arguments and it should issue a ruling before the end of the year.

Simultaneously, the St. Clair County Board approved a redistricting map in June 2021, not based on the decennial census data (which would not be available until August), but on alternative demographic data for the county. The St. Clair County Republican Party has gone on the offensive and is challenging the constitutionality of the new map in federal District Court. While this litigation is ongoing, the County Chairman, Mark Kern, has re-drawn the map four or five more times in an attempt to address the issues raised in the lawsuit, but each iteration failed to meet the Illinois statutes for a fair apportionment map. (Watch the November 9 Special Board Meeting on my site and the follow up "public comments" period on November 17!) Litigation is not cheap, especially in federal court. Our lawyer has donated many hours to this case pro bono, but there are still filing and other court fees which add up. Please donate to support this effort for a fair re-apportionment map in St. Clair County!

In closing, the recent Virginia gubernatorial election and New Jersey assembly elections forecast massive Conservative victories during the mid-term elections, up- and down-ballot. Our lawsuit for a fairer redistricting map in St. Clair County and the suit against Illinois Board of Elections have the potential to provide Illinois Republicans with the best chance of winning we've had in years. Will you be part of that shake up? We need Republicans to run for multiple county positions including Clerk, Sheriff, Assessor and Board members. (Local races, such as city alderman and school boards are non-partisan elections: candidates are not supported by an established party, but conservatives are still needed there, too!) If you are interested in running for office, or you know someone who is, please let me know so we can help you get on the ballot and campaign. Petition circulations start on January 13, so you have just over a month to consider if this is something you wish to pursue. If you'd rather stay out of the spotlight, I need help connecting with voters in our precinct. Join us in restoring conservative values and governance to St. Clair County!