Michigan redistricting commission votes on new maps mark a historic first
A yearslong effort to bring an end to gerrymandering in Michigan — the practice of drawing voting districts to benefit one political party — hit a key milestone Tuesday when the members of the state's inaugural citizen-led redistricting commission adopted new congressional and state legislative districts.
In 2018, 61% of Michigan voters adopted a constitutional amendment to wrest control of the redistricting process from state lawmakers who drew lines deemed some of the most politically skewed in the country.
The amendment charged a group of randomly selected voters with crafting the new boundaries instead.
More: Michigan redistricting commission adopts new state legislative maps
More: Michigan's redistricting commission adopts final congressional map for the next decade
Commissioners celebrated the end of a marathon mapping process that took them around the state to seek public input on how the new lines should be drawn and placed them on a steep learning curve as they navigated the mapping process.
"This has been an exciting and invigorating process and I’m so proud to have been a part of it," said Rebecca Szetela, the commission's independent chair.
"I think we’ve done a very good job working together," said Republican commissioner Douglas Clark. "I think that’s been part of our success."
Voters Not Politicians, the group behind the amendment that created the commission, celebrated the commission's historic vote.
"We are incredibly proud to see the work of Voters Not Politicians, our thousands of volunteers, and community partners culminate in something we set out to achieve five years ago, fair maps for Michigan," said Nancy Wang, the group's executive director.
Katie Fahey, the former president of Voters Not Politicians whose Facebook post in 2016 sparked Michigan's anti-gerrymandering movement, applauded the vote.
"Biggest thing I've learned as part of this process is democracy is worth not giving up on," she wrote in a tweet. "It has been 5 years in the making, but ultimately thousands of well-meaning strangers came together and fought to give Michigan fair election maps! Thank you commission and Michiganders!"
The GOP drawn maps in 2011 have consistently advantaged Republicans, according to multiple measures of partisan fairness.
The maps adopted by the commission would still favor Republican candidates though nowhere near to the same extent as the current maps, according to measures of partisan fairness used by the commission. One measure for the congressional and state Senate map used by commission indicates the new maps would favor Democrats.
The Michigan Democratic Party said the commission "brought the mapping process into the public light for the first time" and thanked members of the public who provided feedback to the commission.
"Under these new congressional and state legislative districts, the Michigan Democratic Party renews its commitment to fighting for equality, fair representation and justice while celebrating Michigan’s diverse population," party chair Lavora Barnes said in a statement.
Mark Brewer, the former chair of the state's Democratic Party expressed displeasure with the commission's maps. The maps failed to bring an end to partisan gerrymanderig in the state, he wrote in a tweet. "All these maps tilt Republican despite the fact that fairer maps were proposed to the commission which it ignored."
The Michigan GOP also expressed disdain with the final result. In a short statement, the party's communications director, Gustavo Portela, said, "We are evaluating all options to take steps necessary to defend the voices silenced by this commission."
The vote to finalize maps Tuesday was not without its hiccups.
The commissioners had an extended debate on whether to make further adjustments to its proposed maps. Some commissioners said that the group should heed public comments it heard during a 45-day public comment period that concluded Monday calling for the commission to revisit its proposed maps.
Other commissioners expressed concerns that further delays on finalizing the maps could leave Michigan without new voting districts for the upcoming 2022 elections. The group ultimately decided to stick with its original plan to the finalize the maps before the end of the year.
A key point of debate on whether to revisit the maps was the commission's approach to comply with federal voting rights requirements that prohibit racially discriminatory districts that deny minority voters the opportunity to elect their preferred candidates.
Szetela voiced new concerns Tuesday that Black-preferred candidates might not win primary elections in the solidly Democratic districts the commission drew in metro Detroit that pair predominantly Black neighborhoods in the city with suburban communities in Oakland and Macomb counties.
Bruce Adelson, the commission's voting rights attorney, countered that the commission based its maps on a comprehensive analysis of racial voting patterns. He noted though that the commission was only able to rely on one statewide contested Democratic primary election.
After the commission adopted the new maps, Szetela said she still has concerns about how Black-preferred candidates would fare in the new districts but expressed confidence in Adelson's advice.
"At this point, we're just going to have to see what happens as elections proceed, and I hope to God that we are correct and we have created the adequate amount of voters to have adequate representation for the Black community."
Brittni Kellom, a Democratic commissioner from Detroit, who wanted to revisit the proposed maps before the final vote, spoke over tears Tuesday night after the vote.
Asked about the impact of the maps on Black voters in Detroit, Kellom gave a mixed response.
"Do I wish that there was more time to get it right? Absolutely," she said. "Do I think that we have maps that can stand up in court? Yes. My emotion and my intention is coming from living and walking and breathing that city."
Clara Hendrickson fact-checks Michigan issues and politics as a corps member with Report for America, an initiative of The GroundTruth Project. Make a tax-deductible contribution to support her work at bit.ly/freepRFA. Contact her at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. Follow her on Twitter @clarajanehen.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan redistricting commission celebrates votes on maps
