Michigan voters in 2018 said loud and clear that they want a say in how their district lines are drawn. That is why 425,000 Michiganders signed a petition to put on the ballot a proposal to create a voter-led commission – designed to establish a new level of transparency in the state’s future redistricting process. The proposal passed with 61% of the vote in the November 2018 election and was enshrined in Michigan’s constitution on Dec. 22, 2018.
However, two new lawsuits threaten Michigan's march towards fair maps. Fortunately, a federal court has allowed CLC to intervene to protect the state’s newly enacted Citizens Independent Redistricting Commission. CLC will be representing Voters Not Politicians, a citizen-led, volunteer organization, which now seeks to preserve their victory in the courts.
If the commission is upheld in court, an independent body of 13 members – with four Republicans, four Democrats and five voters who do not identify with either party – will decide how the state legislative and Congressional districts will be drawn for use starting in the 2022 elections, a task previously handled by the Michigan legislature and enacted by the governor.
Learn more about why Independent Redistricting Commissions like Michigan's are important to the fight against gerrymandering:
