From Ballotpedia

Michigan
General Information
Process:	Legislative authority; Governor can veto
Deadline:	None
Total Seats to be Drawn
Congress:	14
State Senate:	38
State House:	110
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Redistricting in Michigan is handled by the State Legislature. Michigan is one of over 30 states in which lawmakers are responsible for drawing new maps. As the only state in America to lose population, Michigan must give up a Congressional seat. 2010 marks the fourth consecutive decade in which Michigan has lost a seat due to reapportionment. Michigan is now set to begin the 113th Congress with 14 seats.

Process

The Michigan State Legislature is responsible for redistricting. The redrawn maps are proposed and passed as ordinary legislation. The Governor of Michigan may veto any redistricting plan.

Leadership

House redistricting committee

The members of the House Redistricting committee are:

Republicans (6) Peter Lund Chair Ed McBroom Vice-Chair Martin Knollenberg Paul Scott Sharon Tyler Rick Outman

Democrats (3) Barbara Byrum Minority Vice-Chair David Nathan Woodrow Stanley

The House Committee regularly meets each Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. in room 521 of the House Office Building in Lansing.

A staffer for State Rep. Peter Lund, told The State News that the House Redistricting and Elections committee has not held an official meeting. ^[1] This did not stop both sides from giving their opinions on redistricting. ^[1] Ari Adler, a spokesman for House Speaker Jase Bolger, said: "We intend to handle redistricting in a responsible manner, like we are other things." ^[1] Katie Carey, a spokeswoman for Senate Minority Leader Gretchen Whitmer, told The State News that Democrats will aim for transparency in redistricting. ^[1] Democrats would create a website to gather public input along with holding public hearings according to Carey. ^[1]

The first meeting was held on February 22, 2011.^[2] Legislators later announced they would continue accepting proposed maps for both state and Congressional divisions through May 23, 2011.^[3]

Senate redistricting committee

The members of the Senate Redistricting committee are:

Republicans (6) Joe Hune Chair Rick Jones Vice-Chair Dave Hildenbrand Jim Marleau John Moolenaar John Proos

Democrats (3) Steven Bieda Minority Vice-Chair Bert Johnson Virgil Smith

In Michigan, the legislature controls the redistricting process, while the Governor of Michigan may exercise a veto for any reason. There is no legally set initial or final deadline to complete maps. However, for 2011, those involved want to have maps passed into law with a gubernatorial signature by November 1st.

Currently, both chambers of the Michigan General Assembly are controlled by substantial Republican majorities, more than two-to-one in the Senate. Legislative Republicans have a GOP ally in Governor Rick Snyder.

2011 redistricting work took cues from the guidelines established in the Congressional Redistricting Act, MCL 3.61 (PA 221 1996), and the Legislative Redistricting Act, (MCL 4.261), both bills passed by the Michigan legislature in the 1990s using lessons learned from previous years when redistricting had become a Michigan Supreme Court issue.^[4]

Both Acts set out such guides as:

• a "least cost" principle, wherein municipalities smaller than the size of the average Congressional district should be incorporated within a Congressional seat

• Congressional districts must be of equal size, with a 95% to 105% tolerance range

• existing municipal and county boundaries should be respected as much as possible

Like nearly every state with legislative redistricting, there is a push to turn the process over to a citizen controlled committee. However, both Sen. Hune and Rep. Lund argue that the guidelines in place make the legislative process fair, a statement immediately parsed for partisan bias.^[5][6]

Census results

Michigan lost a congressional seat in the 2010 Census. As a result, Michigan is reduced from 15 to 14 congressional districts^[7]. Eight of ten major cities lost population; of those that did grow, none surpassed the 5% mark.

At the same time that Michigan lost population on the whole, the state's minority population grew, to 23.4% from 21.4% in 2000. That population also scattered geographically, particularly as minorities moved away from Detroit-proper into the suburbs.^[8] Comparatively, Detroit is now smaller than before the advent of the American automotive industry and has endured a more severe population exodus than New Orleans. Detroit lost enough population, including 25% of its minority voters, that it could now fit into a single seat.^[9] Given that the two existing Detroit districts are minority-majority seats, controversy is likely. Due in part to these trends, Michigan's Legislative Black Caucus hired an attorney and began preparing its own redistricting plan.^[10]

In areas where minority populations increased, triple digit growth for both blacks and Hispanics was common. Black residents exploded 389% in Warren, 496% in Eastpointe, 260% in Melvindale, 80% in Kentwood, and 49% in Wyoming. Hispanics posted similar numbers: 109% in Wyoming and 135% in Kentwood.

While these areas will have a prominent minority voice in redistricting, at least two other locales will be legally bound. Clyde Township in Allegan County and Buena Vista Township in Saginaw County are both bound by the VRA. Adding to that, Michigan is a rarity among VRA-compelled states in that her state statutes explicitly reference the VRA.

According to a report in the Washington Post, Michigan is one of the top 10 states to watch in the redistricting process. The reporters ranked Michigan number 9 on the list. Florida was given the distinction as the number 1 state to watch.^[11]

Congressional maps

The Hill reported in a December 22, 2010, blog posting that long-time Michigan Congressmen John Dingell and Sander Levin could suffer redistricting fallout with the GOP controlling the process^[7]. With Michigan losing one congressional seat comes the prospect of one of the senior Democrats in Michigan's congressional delegation being redistricted out according to The Hill. The Hill also mentioned that Congressman Gary Peter's district could be eliminated due to redistricting^[7].

Despite ongoing speculation as to how Michigan would collapse 15 seats to 14, the Washington Post felt safe in pegging Gary Peters as the "odd man out." Whether he saw a challenge from Martin "Marty" Knollenberg or had to primary Sander Levin, Peters would have a challenged if he chose to remain in Congress. Alternately it could speed up his time table to seek statewide office.^[12]

Scenarios

With the GOP enjoying a trifecta at the state level and a 9-6 advantage in Congress, realistic scenarios all revolved around precisely how Republicans would shore up their advantage. The 2010 midterms also gave them control of the state's Supreme Court, a possible sign the GOP could be more aggressive in drawing maps. The stated intention of at least 14 of 15 sitting Congressmen to seek re-election complicated things.^[13]

Predicted Democratic targets, as one U.S. House seat was cut, were Gary Peters and Sander Levin. Pairing those two could be the outcome and is an attractive idea for some Republicans, with Peters holding the one seat Dems managed to flip in 2008 and Levin the ranking Democrat on the Ways and Means Committee. Peters's district sits just north of Detroit, while Levin holds a strongly Democratic district spanning Oakland and McComb counties.

Peters could also be set up to run against Thaddeus McCotter or Dale Kildee, whose seat is centered around Flint. Not somehow involving Peters in the consolidation of seats would almost certainly mean targeting John Dingell's seat, an easier idea before Dingell made clear his intention to run again.^[14] Dingell, McCotter, Kildee, and Levin were all in the 80s in early 2011, and, while Levin could likely win a primary against Peters if the two were thrown together, that could likely end 53 year-old Peter's career for the sake of the aging Levin,^[15] a possibility that sparked calls for Levin to make a graceful exit.^[16]

There were rumors Peters might pursue a county executive position rather than get into a primary fight in 2012. However, the real story was that state Representative Martin "Marty" Knollenberg, son of Congressman Peters ousted and, more importantly, a member of the House Redistricting Committee, had announced his interest in challenging Peter for the very seat he will help redraw.^[17] Once Knollenberg confirmed his intention to run for Congress, the Michigan Democratic Party issued a statement condemning he conflict of interest.^[18]

Also on the table will be protecting vulnerable GOP freshmen, the upper peninsula's Dan Benishek and southern Michigan's Tim Walberg. Benishek replaced Bart Stupak and Walberg reclaimed in 2010 the seat he lost in 2010. Both could benefit from any added Republican voters, but the districts they border can hardly to give up red voters without jeopardizing their own incumbents.

A competing interest lays in meeting the requirements of the Voting Rights Act, with two minority seats to consider. Neither John Conyers in the 14th nor Hansen Clarke in the 13th, both Democrats holding seats covering parts of Detroit, are likely to give up easily, and the VRA limits what can be done with the voters in those seats. At the end of April, committee members were advised that complying with the VRA might well mean crossing historic Eight Mile in Detroit.^[19]

Bluntly, after complying with legal requirements to keep black voters, who trend Democratic, intact and after protecting vulnerable GOP incumbents, the problem might come down to what to do with white Democrats.

John Dingell's 15th district and McCotter's 11th have both been suggested as the areas that will be cut up to find Conyers' seat the minority votes it needs to be in balance again.^[20]

Congressman Dingell plans 2012 re-election

Long-time U.S. Congressman John Dingell told The Detroit News that he has already began fundraising for a 2012 re-election bid^[7]. However, Dingell has not confirmed if he wants to run for a 30th term^[7]. Some speculation of Dingell's early announcement to raise money could hinge on redistricting. With Republicans controlling the Governor's office, both houses of the Legislature, along with the Supreme Court, it's given that the newly drawn district could benefit the GOP^[7].

GOP Congressional map

Leaked in a near-final draft form ahead of the planned submission to the legislature, the Republican plan for Congressional districts took aim at the 9th and 12th seats - Gary Peters and Sander Levin.^[21]

Peters has only four years in the House and saw the re-election fight of his life in 2010 against a Tea Party pick. Levin represents a labor-heavy area of north Detroit that skews heavily to the Dems, and is the ranking member on the Ways and Means Committee. Collapsing the two seats into a newly drawn 9th would likely still mean Democrats would hold the seat, but one of the two men would be out of a job in January 2013.

Rumors as to whether Peters would bow to the more senior officer and seek another office^[22] or planned to force a primary conflicted, with his office saying he intended to seek a third term.^[23]

Elsewhere in the state, Battle Creek was moved from its place in the 7th district to the newly proposed 3rd,^[24] something Democrats decired as a bid to shore up the 7th for Republican Tim Wahlberg.^[25]

The tone of Great Lakes Democrats, only half a year removed from having the governor's chair and Congressional majority, was one of dismay and anger at the map Republicans presented. A joint statement from the half dozen members of the Democratic Congressional delegation called the GOP plan "overtly partisan and disrespectful."^[26]

Top Ten Ranking

According to a report in the Washington Post political blog "The Fix," Michigan is home one of the top ten redistricting battles in the nation, ranking seventh on the list. Illinois ranked first.^[27]

Republicans propose Congressional plan

Michigan Republicans released their proposed redistricting plan on June 17, detailing possible changes to the state's Senate, House, and Congressional districts. In the proposed Congressional plan, Reps. Gary Peters (D) and Sander Levin (D) would be paired together. Although Peters may choose to challenge Levin, victory seems unlikely against the 28-year incumbent. In addition, the new 9th District is predominantly made up of Levin's existing district. Most of Peter's old 9th district has been divided between Representatives John Conyers (D), Thaddeus McCotter (R), and Mike Rogers (R). If Peters does choose to run, he may move under a mile to McCotter's new District 11 which contains much of his old district. Although McCotter's district has a more conservative bent, some remain optimistic about Peters' prospects in a challenge.^[28][29][30]

The plan has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats. Rep. Levin said the map was "indefensible" and made "a mockery of the right to a meaningful vote." Levin added that a few of the new districts resemble a scorpion, a camel, and a rabbit. However, House Speaker Jase Bolger's spokesman defended the plan, saying that the districts were necessary to balance competing redistricting goals. He observed that maps ought to preserve community lines and have equal population while remaining compact and contiguous. In addition, Michigan's maps must follow the provisions of the Voting Rights Act.^[28] Overall, the plan is expected to strengthen freshman Republicans and win the GOP an additional Congressional seat. The map must be approved by the Legislature and signed by the Governor.^[31]

Michigan GOP Congressional Redistricting Proposal
This map shows the proposed Michigan Congressional Districts. This map shows the Michigan Congressional Districts after the 2000 census.

House approves redistricting proposal

On June 23, the Michigan House of Representatives approved the GOP's proposed Congressional redistricting map. The plan passed along party lines, 63-47.^[1]

Senate approves redistricting proposal

On June 29, 2011, the Michigan State Senate voted 25-13 to send the Congressional map to Governor Rick Snyder (R). The new maps will provide added representation to the southeast portion of the state. Legal challenges to the new maps are expected -- likely from the Michigan Democratic Party or Congressional Black Caucus. "We'll be talking with the congressional delegation about our options. We have at least an argument that this is an unconstitutional, racial gerrymander," said Democratic chairman Mark Brewer.^[2]

Governor signs Congressional maps

On August 9, Governor Rick Snyder (R) signed the state's Congressional redistricting plan, House Bill 4780.

DOJ pre-clears redistricting plans

Michigan's congressional and legislative redistricting maps were approved on January 24 by the US Department of Justice. The decision does not directly affect the NAACP and Legislative Black Caucus lawsuit against the House of Representatives maps.^[3]

Legislative maps

Legislative maps offered slightly more flexibility as they are permitted a ± 5% deviation, making the lower and upper bounds for the Senate 247,091 and 273,100, and as there are only half a dozen counties in Michigan that will have to be split between districts. It is possible to draw state level maps such that those six breaks represent the only breaks across the state.^[4]

VRA concerns came into play at the state level when addressing Detroit's population loss. The heavily black city went into 2010 with five majority-minority districts. Detroit's home of Wayne County lost 24,000 residents, 22,000 of whom left Detroit. Overall, the county would have to drop from eight to seven Senate seats, but taking that seat away from Detroit could attract Justice Department scrutiny.

While the map-making was a process largely private to legislators, the Senate Redistricting Committee responded somewhat positively to a citizen request to see the map sooner than the formal unveiling to the full Senate. Committee Chair Joe Hune's answer was laconic; "Absolutely, we can consider that. We probably should".^[5]

Democratic Senate map

Minority Democrats hosted a May 24, 2011 press conference to release their own proposed map for Michigan's 28 Senate seats.^[6]

Mark Brewer, Chair of the state party, unveiled the map and officially submitted it to the Senate Redistricting Committee. He described it as a "politically" fair division that gave each party 15 safe districts and drew eight competitive seats. The Democratic redistricting plan, Brewer said, "...simply makes sense".^[7]

An early center-right take on the map gave it little chance of succeeding, commenting, "[t]here is nothing terribly outrageous about this map, but it is a modest gerrymander and is probably about the best Democrats could do without massively violating the rules. Their strategy is not hard to understand. Since they have no control over the process, they will present a slightly slanted plan, claim it is "fair", and hope to guilt-trip Republicans (Snyder?) into compromising. It isn't terribly likely to succeed, though it has some nonzero chance".^[8]

Republicans propose legislative plan

Michigan Republicans released their proposed redistricting plan on June 17, detailing possible changes to the state's Senate, House, and Congressional districts. The State House maps largely preserve the current GOP advantage. The Senate plan appears to strenghten GOP incumbents, but does makes some districts more competitive for Democrats in Saginaw and Kalamazoo counties. Both state legislative plans weaken the power of Detroit after a decade of sharp population decline for the city. The plans effectively remove one Senate and two House members from Wayne county. In addition, no Senate district would be entirely contained within Detroit proper. Detroit saw a population decline of 25% in the last decade. Michigan as a whole lost 0.6% of its population and forfeited one US House seat.^[9][10][11]

Michigan GOP Legislative Redistricting Proposal
This map shows the proposed House districts. This map shows the proposed Senate districts.

Legislature approves legislative plan

On June 23, the Michigan State Senate passed the proposed legislative plan 29-8 with bipartisan support. Several Democrats signed on to the plan after the Democratic proposal for Detroit's State Senate seats was integrated into the maps. The House plan for Detroit was unaffected. The maps then proceeded to the Michigan House of Representatives where they were approved 65-42 with amendments. Final legislative approval came on June 29 when the Senate concurred with the House amendments. Opponents argue that Republicans rushed the redistricting process. However, Republicans contend that final plans needed to be approved by July 1 to allow sufficient time for legal challenges.^[1] The redistricting bill, Senate Bill 0498, can be found here.

Michigan Senate Redistricting Compromise
This maps shows the Detroit senate districts as proposed. This maps shows the Detroit senate districts as amended.

Governor signs legislative maps

On August 9, Governor Rick Snyder (R) signed the state's legislative redistricting plan, Senate Bill 498.

Legal issues

Challenge of congressional plan likely

According to reports, a legal challenge of Michigan's new Congressional map is likely. Much of the controversy surrounds District 14, home to longtime-Representative John Conyers (D). The plan would redraw Conyer's district to exclude 80% of his former territory, joining the remainder with Republican-leaning areas. The 14th Congressional District Democratic Organization issued a statement opposing the law, and US Representatives Gary Peters (D) and Sander Levin (D) have voiced support for a lawsuit.^[1][2][3]

Black Caucus plans challenge to redistricting map

Michigan's Legislative Black Caucus has announced plans to challenge the state's redistricting plans, calling the plans discriminatory. The suit will be filed in federal court in October.^[4] Meanwhile, it seems that Grosse Pointe Woods is moving away from its earlier interest in challenging the plan. The city's attorney determined that a lawsuit would be unlikely to succeed and that legal funds could be better spent elsewhere.^[5]

Coalition challenges State House maps

A number of advocacy groups have joined forces to challenge Michigan's redrawn State House districts. In a lawsuit filed on December 8, the groups argues that the new maps will result in a 50% reduction in the number of minority representatives by weakening minority districts and pairing incumbents. Much of the criticism is focused on the Detroit area. A spokesperson for Gov. Rick Snyder (R), named in the lawsuit, defended the plans calling them legal and fair. The groups challenging the plan include: the Michigan State Legislative Black Caucus, the NAACP, the United Auto Workers, and Latino Americans for Social and Economic Development.^[6]

DOJ to investigate

Minority and labor groups challenging Michigan's State House districts have received encouraging news. The US Department of Justice plans to investigate Michigan's legislative redistricting efforts. The decision comes after a December 21 meeting with attorneys for the plaintiffs.^[7]

Lawsuit dismissed

On March 23, a three-judge panel dismissed the challenge to Michigan's House redistricting plan. The challenge, brought by a group of labor and civil rights organizations, argued that the plan illegally diluted minority voting strength in the Detroit area.^[8]

Local lawsuits

Warren City Council lawsuit

In May 2011, two candidates for at-large seat in Warren challenged the validity of an initiative placed on the November ballot. The item, circulated as a petition, was officially an initiative to place the city's redistricting plan on the fall ballot. According to the plaintiffs, Eugene Sawyer and Dean Berry, it also improperly included language to reduce Warren's council from nine seats to seven and to make five of the seats into districts office, leaving a single pair of at-large positions.

Saying that people may not have realized they were signing in support of that plan, Sawyer and Berry, representing "Warren Citizens Guarding Government", asked for a restraining order to keep the initiative off the ballot. The current City Council had by then already tabled the redistricting plan.^[9]

The two men argued that the proposed map of districts disproportionately favored the wealthier northern half of the city, and that map reflected an effort by existing office holders to entrench their positions. The sitting Mayor, Jim Fouts, countered that the initiative passed and was set for the fall election months earlier, questioning why anyone would let so much time pass before challenging the language of the petition.

The suit was filed on the eve of the deadline to announce a candidacy for any of the city's offices. By way of explanation, Berry said the group had hoped the Warren Council would hire attorneys to seek a court order on who should draw the new districts. Both men also admitted they signed the petition they challenged, claiming they were "hoodwinked" by the language. A representative of the tea Party affiliated group that circulated the measure said the effort was an effort to cut government costs and represented no effort to distribute power to certain groups.^[10]

Oakland County lawsuit

Former Sen. Mike Bishop (R), County Commissioner David Potts (R), and residents Janice Daniels and Mary Kathryn Decuir filed a lawsuit on June 20, 2011 against the Oakland County Apportionment Commission. According to the plaintiffs, the commission deliberated for only 34 minutes before passing the proposal. In addition, the suit alleges that new districts are not sufficiently compact, divide communities of interest, reflect partisan motivations, and pack minorities into majority-minority districts.^[11]

Oakland County maps upheld

On November 16, the Michigan Court of Appeals upheld the Oakland County Commission redistricting plan challenged by Republicans. The court found that the lines were legally permissible, meeting requirements for compactness, fair allocation of political power, and the protection of minority voting rights. At least one plaintiff, Potts, expressed an interest in appealing the decision.^[12]

Democrats sue to block map

After local Republicans lost their legal challenge to Oakland County's redistricting maps, state GOP lawmakers passed a law stripping the bipartisan committee of its redistricting authority and giving the power to the Republican-controlled Board of Commissioners. However, on January 4, Democrats sued to block the law, arguing that it violates the separation of powers. Republicans, on the other hand, defend the law as a cost-saving measure for the county.^[13]

Advocacy groups

Michigan's Republican trifecta wrinkled more than a few brows; the perceived lack of suitable foil to partisan overreach was a source of anxiety. So was redistricting's overlap with the regular legislative session, when the budget, in the words of a political scientist, "suck[ed] all the air out of the room. Everyone is focused on the budget, which allows the people who are working on the redistricting plan even more privacy."^[14]

Draw the Line Midwest

On March 15, 2011, the Draw the Line Midwest campaign was announced. Billing itself as "the nation's first regional redistricting reform campaign organization," Draw the Line Midwest is made up of 25 reform organizations from Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin. It is a collaboration between the Midwest Democracy Network and the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University Law School.

The groups say the campaign is a coordinated effort to depoliticize the redistricting process by pushing for transparency, public participation, and protection of minority rights. They will be proposing alternatives to legislative plans and setting up District Builder, free open-based software that will allow anyone to draw the maps. The site is expected to be up in all states by April.^[15]

April 18th and 21st op-eds laid out the group's major wishes for redistricting reform:^[16][17]

• Publicly posted maps with time for public comment

• Public hearings

• Open mapmaking, rather the closed door sessions to prepare maps with the public seeing only finished proposals

• specific, written justifications for each proposed district

Michigan Redistricting Collaborative

Combining the Michigan chapters of the ACLU, AARP, and the League of Women Voters, the Michigan Redistricting Collaborative went beyond suggesting steps to improve transparency and participation, opting to draft two bills and go shopping for sponsors.^[18]

The two bills are separate for purposes of addressing state and Congressional redistricting, but they contain they same guidelines the MRC is hoping the Assembly will adopt:

• All data used in drawing maps would be on a public website, with capacity for people to comment

• A minimum of four public hearings would be held on each proposal, with at least three outside Lansing. Each hearing would be broadcast live and all transcripts and testimony would be available online

• At least 30 days before the vote, each map would be posted online with details about the make-up of each district and a public interest statement

As all maps will be passed through the legislature as bills, the ability of citizens to testify and to track the progress of each bill is guaranteed.

The idea resonated with the public but, as one editorial noted, its fate rested on how active citizens were willing to be in pushing the legislature to adopt the ideas^[19]

Michigan Citizens' Redistricting Competition 2011

Sponsored by the Michigan Center for Election Law and Administration, the MCRC ran a contest from May 2-23, 2011, inviting Michiganders to submit their own maps for redistricting. By the final day, 200 entries had been submitted.^[20]

The legislature had agreed in advance to at least look at the top 20 entries, though there was no law to force them to consider any of those maps. Ultimately, 19 maps were submitted; 13 for the U.S. House. five for the Senate, and a single map for the state House.^[21]

Michigan Citizens' Research Council

Michigan's Citizens' Research Council (CRC) outlined a series of recommended reforms to redistricting at both the state and federal level, including multiple Constitutional reforms.^[22] After the state's Supreme Court ruled redistricting language in the state Constitution invalid, the legislature was left with a considerably free hand as they handled redrawing political maps.^[23]

Adding any language to the Constitution would require legislative action or a citizen initiated ballot item; the CRC recommended the former, urging lawmakers to place language before voters in the 2012 elections.

Specifically, the CRC called for:

Recreating a redistricting commission Limiting redistricting to once per decade Describing the appropriate redistricting procedures and timeline Increasing transparency and public engagement Protecting electors' right to challenge redistricting plans

Minimizing population variance among districts Ensuring contiguous single-member districts Creating district boundaries that adhere to political boundaries Protecting communities of interest

Reform legislation

Proposed bipartisan commission

Faced with a GOP trifecta in a redistricting year, Michigan Dems brought up the idea of handing control of the process over to a bipartisan commission with citizen input. In the Senate, Steven Bieda introduced two bills that would accomplish that, both of which were referred to committee, in late March.^[24] Under Bieda's plan:

• a nine-member committee would be formed with four appointees from each major party and one appointee made by the Auditor General of Michigan, an officially nonpartisan position.

• Commissioners would be unpaid and banned from accepting gifts

• lobbyists, as well as officials and employees of both the state and federal government, would not be eligible to serve

• no Commissioner would be allowed to run for the House or Senate for four years after the effective date of the plan

• at least six members would have to support a plan before it could be presented to the Governor

• the Commission would have to maintain a website and allow a minimum of 72 hours for public comment on any map

• the Commission would hold at least six meetings around the state

Around the same time, Republicans in two counties, Oakland and Wayne, sought to get permission to draw their own county commission seats. However, no serious plan actually proposed truly taking the privileges of redistricting away from elected politicians^[25]

One Democrat in the State House introduced a plan to increase transparency. ^[26] Rep. Barb Byrum's proposal called for a minimum of six public hearings after Census data is released and require online disclosure for communications involving redistricting from outside parties to House members and staff. ^[26] Also, new redistricting plans would require online disclosure. ^[26] The proposal was defeated in the House by a 63-45 vote on January 27, 2011. ^[27]

Townsend legislation

In late May 2011, Democrat Jim Townsend, a member of the House, introduced legislation calling for a nine member redistricting commission to take the process out of partisan hands. Townsend's commission would be explicitly subject to both the Open Records Act and the Freedom of Information Act. Its members would be forbidden to accept any money from PACs and lobbyists, as well as from businesses, nonprofits, or unions - effectively meaning no current office holder or candidate would be eligible.

The plan called for the Auditor General's office to accept applications and choose five citizens from the qualified submissions. The remaining four members would be legislative appointees, with the Majority and Minority leaders of both chambers each having a single pick. No elected officer holder, lobbyist, state contractor, employee of a political party, or employee of a group prohibited from donating to commission members would be eligible for the panel.^[28]

Timeline

Michigan's 2001 deadline is set at November 1, 2011. Hearings began the week of Monday, April 11, 2011.^[29] The initial hearing was held in Lansing^[30] and lawmakers were briefed by a demographer on Tuesday, the 11th of April.^[31]

Demographer Ken Darga advised the legislature that Detroit's expected challenge to the 2010 Census, even if successful, would not be resolved in time to have any effect on legislative boundaries.^[32]

History

Deviation from "Ideal Districts"

2000 Population Deviation[33]
Office		Percentage
Congressional Districts		0.00%
State House Districts		9.92%
State Senate Districts		9.92%
Under federal law, districts may vary from an 'Ideal District' by up to 10%, though the lowest number achievable is preferred. 'Ideal Districts' are computed through simple division of the number of seats for any office into the population at the time of the Census.

2010 Partisan Registration by District

Partisan Registration and Representation by Congressional District, 2010[34]
Congressional District		Republicans	Democrats	Unaffiliated	District Total	Party Advantage*	111th Congress	112th Congress
1 (Upper Peninsulsa)
1 (Lake Michigan Shore)
3 (Barry, Ionia Counties)
4 (Traverse City, Mount Pleasant)
5 (Southern Shore of Saginaw Bay)
6 (Benton Harbor, Kalamazoo)
7 (Battle Creek)
8 (Lansing)
9 (Oakland County)
10 (The Thumb)
11 (Wayne and Oakland Counties)
12 (Detroit's inner suburbs)
13 (Wayne County, East Detroit)
14 (Northwest Detroit, Downriver suburbs)
15 (Southwest Detroit, Dearborn Heights)
State Totals					7,276,237		8 D, 7 R	6 D, 9 R
*The partisan registration advantage was computed as the gap between the two major parties in registered voters.

Constitutional explanation

With respect to redistricting, the Michigan Constitution outlined procedures in Article IV. However, provisions in the Article were struck down by the courts. Authority for the Legislature to redistrict comes from sections 3.61-64 and 4.261-263 of the Michigan Statutes control.^[35]

See also

• State Legislative and Congressional Redistricting after the 2010 Census
• State-by-state redistricting procedures

External links

• Michigan Redistricting Resource Institute
• Official House Redistricting Committee
• Michigan Citizens' Redistricting Competition
• Michigan House Republicans' official statement on redistricting
• Michigan House of Representatives, "Minutes of the Committee on Redistricting and Elections, Proposed, May 17, 2011"

References

v • d • e Redistricting State Redistricting Pages Alabama · Alaska  · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado  · Connecticut  · Delaware · Florida  · Georgia  · Hawaii  · Idaho  · Illinois  · Indiana  · Iowa  · Kansas  · Kentucky  · Louisiana  · Maine  · Maryland  · Massachusetts  · Michigan  · Minnesota  · Mississippi · Missouri  · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada  · New Hampshire  · New Jersey  · New Mexico  · New York  · North Carolina · North Dakota  · Ohio  · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania  · Rhode Island  · South Carolina · South Dakota  · Tennessee · Texas  · Utah · Vermont  · Virginia  · Washington  · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming State-by-state redistricting procedures • Redistricting news desk • Redistricting lawsuits relating to the 2010 Census • Partisan balance of redistricting committees in 2011 • Redistricting Activist Organizations • Redistricting Roundup • Status of redistricting maps after the 2010 census