Central Illinois residents ask for legislative districts that don't divide counties

SPRINGFIELD - Democrats drawing the state's new political boundaries should avoid dividing downstate counties into multiple districts, two Central Illinois men told a Senate panel Wednesday. Dennis Fisher of Shelby County and Randy Becker of Effingham County testified that the current political maps have caused confusion among residents because multiple senators, representatives and congressmen represent the region. "We would like to see the county kept intact," Fisher said. "We feel we sometimes get lost in the shuffle," Becker added. The two were among a number of people testifying in the first downstate session of the Senate Redistricting Committee, which is holding hearings about the state's new political map. more..... http://www.herald-review.com/news/state-and-regional/article_bba9fcfa-a85f-5005-adbe-313faf043f3a.html