A federal court has rejected the Michigan Republican Party’s attempt to block the redistricting commission approved by state voters while Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced that the number of applicants for the commission now stands at 4,322.
The GOP has argued in court repeatedly that the rules for the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, which blocks membership for lobbyists, politicians and their family and associates, would unfairly limit the number of people who would be eligible to serve.
A three-judge panel of the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals unanimously rejected that argument.
Interest in the redistricting commission is so high that it is on track to pass the number who applied in California, which has about four times The population of Michigan, when the Golden State launched a pioneering redistricting panel in 2010. The Michigan deadline for applying is June 1.
The redistricting reforms in Michigan were approved by 61 percent of voters in the November 2018 election, a move that took away from the majority party in the Legislature the authority to redraw district voting lines.
“Michiganders remain as committed to participating in our democracy as they were in 2018 when voters amended our state constitution to create this commission and make our election districts more fair,” Benson said. “Surpassing California’s number of final completed applications demonstrates the tremendous enthusiasm for democracy in Michigan.”
The 13-member redistricting commission will consist of five independent members, four self-declared Democrats and four self-declared Republicans. Beginning with the 2022 election, the commission will decide how the state House, state Senate and congressional districts will be drawn.
Benson said applicants can fill out, notarize and email their completed application without ever leaving their home. Voters can apply at www.redistrictingMichigan.org, and numerous e-notaries willing to waive their fees for the application are listed at www.Michigan.gov/FreeNotary.
