yes for independent maps logo smallSPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) –  Election officials say the group that wants to take political mapmaking away from lawmakers appears to be short of the signatures required to let voters decide on the issue in November.

State Board of Elections chairman Rupert Borgsmiller says that less than half of a 5 percent sample of signatures that “Yes for Independent Maps” submitted was valid. The proposed constitutional amendment would give mapmaking responsibilities to an independent commission.

Campaign manager Mike Kolenc argues the process was rushed. His group has until May 30 to prove that more than 60 percent of names in the sample belong to registered voters.

The group needs nearly 300,000 valid signatures to put the proposal on the ballot. It submitted about 500,000. The group also faces a court challenge.

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