May 13, 2021 | melissa c
What is the Michigan Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission?
The Michigan Independent Citizen Redistricting Commission, created when voters approved a 2018 constitutional amendment, is tasked with dividing MI into voting districts for state and federal elections, beginning with the 2022 elections. The Commission will review the districts every 10 years and adjust, or "redistrict," as needed based on the latest U.S. Census data and other specific criteria.
The Redistricting Commission is composed of 13 registered MI voters randomly selected from a pool of applicants; four members who affiliate with the Republican Party, four who affiliate with the Democratic Party, and five who do not affiliate with either party.
Why was the Commission created?
Previously, every 10 years, following the census, the political party in control of the state legislature at the time controlled the redistricting process. This situation resulted in gerrymandering, which happens when the political party in charge of redistricting manipulates the boundaries of the districts to gain an unfair advantage in future elections. Michigan has recently had some of the most gerrymandered districts in the country. The Independent Citizens Redistricting Committee was approved by Michigan voters as a way to end gerrymandering.
One of the criteria for creating appropriate districts is to avoid splitting up "communities of interest." Communities of interest are populations that share cultural or historical characteristics, economic interests, or other interests - not including political party affiliation. For example, the city of Grand Rapids and its suburbs may be considered a community of interest, separate from the more rural areas surrounding the city.
How do I share my thoughts with the Commission?
The Commission has been meeting since September 2020 and is now ready to begin hearing from the public before creating the voting districts. Citizens have three options for providing input via the MI Redistricting Public Comment Portal:
- provide a written comment
- create a district map or a map identifying communities of interest
- comment on maps submitted by others
Citizens are also encouraged to attend the series of public hearings currently being held by the Commission. In-person hearings are scheduled around the state. All hearings will be live streamed and citizens can attend virtually via Zoom. You can find detailed information about a specific hearing, including Zoom links, by clicking on the Meeting Notice for that meeting.
The meetings closest to Canton are:
- Thursday, June 3, 2021
Start Time: 6:00 p.m.
Ford Community and Performing Arts Center
15801 Michigan Ave.
Dearborn, MI 48126
- Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Start Time: 6:00 p.m.
Suburban Collection Showplace
46100 Grand River Ave.
Novi, MI 48374
- Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Start Time: 6:00 p.m.
The Village Dome at Fellowship Chapel
7707 W. Outer Dr.
Detroit, MI 48235
- Thursday, June 17, 2021
Start Time: 6:00 p.m.
TCF Center
1 Washington Blvd
Detroit, MI 48226
Recordings of the Commission's previous meetings are available for viewing here.