Michigan’s independent redistricting commission will seek additional time to redraw the state’s political districts through the courts, citing expected delays in the release of U.S. Census data.
The 13-member commission formed by a successful 2018 ballot initiative is constitutionally obligated to redraw the state’s Congressional, state House and state Senate political district maps based on the latest U.S. Census data and a myriad of other criteria by Nov. 1 of this year.
But the U.S. Census Bureau, citing pandemic-related delays, announced in February that redistricting data won’t be made available to states for months, promising the data by Sept. 30, 2021. That’s after the date commissioners need to have proposed maps available for public comment under the constitutional amendment, which is Sept. 17.
Commissioners voted unanimously Friday afternoon to give Julianne Pastula, the commission’s legal counsel, authority to ask the Michigan Supreme Court for more time to draw the maps due to the late census data. The Secretary of State will be joining the court filing, she said.
Pastula, in pitching the plan to commissioners, said if the commission doesn’t take proactive steps to address the timing discrepancy in court, someone else will. Officials in other states with constitutional redistricting deadlines, such as California, are also taking steps to address the issue in court, she said.
“If the Commission does not take proactive steps to address the census issue, which is unavoidable...we open ourselves up to a mandamus action filed by a third party trying to compel us to do our work,” she said.
A specific proposal for a new timeline was not discussed, although elections officials said the Secretary of State’s office needs several months after new districts are drawn to update the Qualified Voter File ahead of the 2022 elections.
The current redistricting process is Michigan’s first with an independent commission handling the redrawing of state House, Senate and congressional districts. Redistricting is done once every 10 years to reflect population shifts and other changes to a district’s makeup.
The commission was assembled as a result of a November 2018 ballot proposal, Proposal 2 which passed with support from 61% of voters. Redistricting was previously handled by the Michigan Legislature and approved by the governor, which, Proposal 2 supporters pointed out, allowed politicians to set their own district lines.
Related:
Federal judge throws out Republican lawsuit against Michigan redistricting commission
Meet the 13 commissioners who will redraw Michigan’s electoral lines
Michigan likely to lose congressional seat after 2020 census count
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Michigan independent redistricting commission will seek more time to draw political maps - MLive.com
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