MICRC’s final vote signals end of rushed process to set political lines

CONCERNS REMAIN OVER CONSULTANT ERRORS, RACIAL VOTING MAKEUP

LANSING – Michigan’s first-ever independent, citizen-driven redistricting process came to an end today with a vote on final maps that will be used for the next decade – a rushed, year-long process complicated by consultant errors and incomplete data analysis, the Michigan League of Conservation Voters said.

Michigan should celebrate the successful engagement of residents across the state in the process, which took place through countless public hearings and hours of testimony.  However, there are pivotal changes and improvements that will need to be made in the future.

“Michiganders of all political stripes were given the power to draw the lines and that remains a vast improvement over the blatant gerrymandering we saw in years past when politicians drew lines in closed-door, secret sessions,” said Bob Allison, deputy director of the Michigan League of Conservation Voters. “But today’s revelation that there were serious errors in a racially-polarized voting analysis raises concern about the poor performance of consultants and the compressed timeline that resulted due to the U.S. Census delays. There will no doubt be lawsuits filed and reforms later needed to ensure our democracy works for everyone.”