Residents sound off on Michigan s sometimes mind-boggling voting districts
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Between its Lansing union hall and the Delta Township GM plant where members work a few miles away, UAW Local 602 finds itself divided between two congressional districts.
The division between the 7th and 8th Congressional Districts is mindboggling at times and could stand to change in the next congressional district map, said Mike Huerta, president of UAW 602, who buys groceries in the 4th Congressional District. Sometimes when I want to speak on any of these issues to an elected official, as you can imagine, it can be quite confusing, Huerta told the Michigan Independent Redistricting Commission on Thursday.
For the first time, the people redrawing Michigan’s political district maps are constitutionally obligated to seek input from the people living and working in the regions they’ll be creating political boundary lines for.
Michigan voters chose to take politicians out of the redistricting process. The time has come to weigh in.
Updated May 11, 2021;
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Michigan voters in November 2018 chose a new way to map out the state’s federal and legislative political districts. Starting Tuesday, they’ll have the chance to participate in that process in person.
That initiative, put on the ballot by the group Voters Not Politicians, took political redistricting the process of redrawing Congressional and state House and Senate districts every 10 years based on U.S. Census population data out of the state Legislature’s hands and created an independent commission to do the job. Supporters argued the change would help prevent gerrymandering to benefit certain lawmakers or political parties and give every Michigan resident more of a say in what their political districts look like.
Michigan redistricting commission to hold 16 public meetings; here are dates & locations
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and last updated 2021-05-11 05:48:17-04
(WXYZ) â Michigan s new redistricting commission will begin taking public comment as it prepares to draw lines for 13 congressional districts and 148 Michigan legislative seats for the next 10 years.
In all, the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will hold 16 hearings, the first starting Tuesday, and running through July 1.
âThe new redistricting process ensures that redistricting occurs in an open and transparent manner with the opportunity for statewide participation. Communities of interest for the first time are going to have a voice to prevent gerrymandering and to prevent the division of neighborhoods for partisan gain, which can harm communities,â said Rebecca Szetela, vice-chair of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.