U.S. Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan nailed it when she said partisan gerrymanders, and the court majority’s refusal to fix them, “debased and dishonored” our democracy by refusing to uphold its foundational principle that every person is entitled to votes that count.

The court ended its current session Thursday issuing a 5-4 disheartening decision on partisan gerrymandering cases, claiming the issue could not be addressed by federal courts. The ruling closes the door on future federal cases, and therefore underscores the need for every Illinoisan to join the fight here to demand our politicians quit suppressing our votes and our voices by rigging our districts. We no longer can wait for a court to save our democracy.