Redistricting

Redistricting 2021 & People Powered Fair Maps Michigan

REDISTRICTING

Every 10 years after the census is completed, new political lines are drawn for federal, state, county and some local districts.

The League of Women Voters of Michigan has a position  in support of an Independent Redistricting Commission, and  was instrumental in passing a constitutional amendment in 2018 that requires redistricting to be completed by an independent commission instead of the political party in power.  Since its first meeting in September, 2021, the League has been observing and reporting on all of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) meetings.

Latest Redistricting News

On July 26, 2024, the 3-judge panel approved the Crane A1 map that the MICRC had redrawn for the Detroit area Michigan Senate districts.  Read the article from Michigan Advance here.

On March 27, 2024 the 3-judge panel approved the Motown Sound FC E1 map that the MICRC had redrawn for Detroit area Michigan House districts.  Read the article from Bridge Magazine here.

On February 1, 2024, this article appeared in the Detroit News concerning the MICRC.

On February 1, 2024, LWVMI delivered public comments to the MICRC in support of the Promote the Vote Coalition.

On January 25, 2024, LWVMI delivered public comments to the MICRC urging support of the “Unity Map” provided by Promote the Vote.

In December, 2023, a 3-judge panel agreed with Michigan voters who had filed a  lawsuit against the Redistricting Commission and Secretary of State Benson claiming  that 13 state house districts in Detroit violated the 14^th Amendment.  Read this Bridge Magazine article for the latest updates.

 

For more information about the MICRC:

• Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission
• Watch a recording of an explanation of the differences between the collaborative maps for Michigan’s Congressional districts  and State Senate districts featuring Commissioners Cynthia Orton, Anthony Eid, Janice Vallette and Dusting Witjes.   Presentation was recorded Dec. 8, 2021
• Watch a recording of an explanation of the differences between the collaborative maps for Michigan’s House districts  featuring Commissioners Cynthia Orton, Anthony Eid, Janice Vallette and Dusting Witjes.   Presentation was recorded Dec. 9, 2021.
• “Approved, and now voted on: What we’ve learned after the first election under Michigan’s new redistricting process”:   Click here for the recording  of a Nov. 30, 2023 presentation sponsored by the Center for Local, State and Urban Policy at the University of Michigan’s Ford School of Public Policy, Voters Not Politicians, LWVMI, and Michigan State University’s Institute for Public Policy and Social Research.

MICRC APPROVES DISTRICT MAPS

On December 28, 2021, the Michigan Independent Redistricting Commission approved district maps for U.S. Congress, Michigan House and Michigan Senate.   The maps were based on 2020 Census data and were drawn by the Commission under the guidance of the seven ranked criteria listed in the Michigan Constitution.

The following maps were approved:

U.S. Congress, Chestnut

Michigan state Senate, Linden

Michigan state House, Hickory

For details of the maps and the ranking of the criteria, please go to Michigan.gov/micrc

As required by the Michigan Constitution, each type of map was approved by a majority vote of the 13 member Commission, including two Democrats, two Republicans and two Commissioners not affiliated with either major party.  The approved maps replaced approved by the Michigan Legislature in 2011.

PEOPLE POWERED FAIR MAPS

As part of the People Powered Fair Maps Program of the League of Women Voters, local Leagues across Michigan held 28 virtual town hall events this past spring to educate Michigan voters on the MICRC’s process of drawing new legislative and congressional maps  

 

After working toward an independent redistricting commission for more than 10 years, our work finally reached a pinnacle in 2021.

• Local Leagues held 28 town hall meetings to educate voters about the new concept of citizen participation in drawing district maps for Michigan’s state and national representatives.
• A team of League members monitored every single MICRC meeting and provided Communities of Interest all over Michigan with training and encouragement to present their case to the MICRC at a public hearing.
• Once proposed maps were made public in October, 2021,  the League held a series of public, regional webinars to help citizens understand maps that were drawn for their communities.
  • Watch a webinar recording
• League volunteers also participated in a second round of public hearings, assisting citizens to again make their voices heard.

As observers of all of the MICRC hearings, the League of Women Voters has chosen to take action and make public comments several times concerning the Commission’s operation:

2-28-22

• LWVMI submitted comments to the MICRC in the “Lessons Learned” opportunity.

2-1-22

•  LWVMI, along with a coalition of voting rights advocates, filed a lawsuit today against the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission on the grounds of partisan fairness.   Read the press release here.  The lawsuit was filed in the Michigan Supreme Court and is specifically meant to ensure the Michigan State House map  is fair from a partisan perspective.  View the filing here.

12-16-21

• LWVMI Comments to the MICRC urging the Commission to share their thoughts on whether the many public comments influenced their decisions on map choices.

11-10-21

• Press Conference.  Sue Smith, Vice President of LWVMI, participated in a press conference hosted by the MICRC concerning the 2nd round of public hearings.

10-11-21

• LWVMI supports the maps drawn by Promote the Vote, one of our Coalition partners.  Along with a 10-11 press release, the League participated in a press conference to promote these equitable maps.

8-31-2021

• Press Conference.  Sue Smith, Vice President of LWVMI, participated in a press conference held by the MICRC to promote map drawing by citizens.

8-25-2021

• LWVMI Comments to the MICRC
  The League comments to the MICRC urging the Commission to review their mapping schedule since the current schedule does not allow enough time for the Detroit Metro region

8-19-2021

• LWVMI Comments to the MICRC
  The League comments to the MICRC requesting public comments pertaining to agenda items be changed back to a direct email to the Commission.

8-12-2021

• LWVMI Comments to the MICRC
  The League comments to the MICRC concerning the choice of Litigation Counsel.

7-15-2021

• LWVMI Comments to the MICRC
  The League comments to the MICRC expressing our concern about the cancellation of MICRC meetings because of a lack of a quorum.

7-9-2021

• Press Release
  The League issued a press release concerning the Michigan’s Supreme Court’s denial of a request by the MICRC to extend their deadline because of the delay in delivery of census data.

6-30-2021

• Testimony to MICRC
  The League testified in front of the Commission concerning our opposition to beginning the map drawing process by using the current, gerrymandered maps.

6-16-2021

• Press Briefing
  A “half-way through the public hearings” press briefing took place featuring several of the MICRC Commissioners and LWV VP Sue Smith.

6-9-2021

• Amicus Brief
• Press Release
  The League filed an Amicus Brief with the Michigan Supreme Court in support of the MICRC’s proposed extended timeline for adopting final redistricting plans.

5-7-2021

• LWVMI Comments to the MICRC
  The League asked the MICRC to clarify whether EDS, the firm awarded the map drawing contract, will start the process with the current maps or with Communities of Interest.

12-17-2020

• LWVMI Comments to the MICRC
  The League comments to the MICRC about it’s role to observe the meetings and assist with the Communities of Interest criteria.