The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) is expected to soon be redrawing the court-ordered six Senate districts around Detroit, but the Institute for Public Policy and Social Research (IPPSR) has already submitted maps for consideration.
Michigan State University Economics Professor Jon Eguia said he believes the commission would need to redraw at least eight Senate districts, including Senate Districts 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, and 11 that were ordered redrawn by a panel of three federal judges. Eguia’s map also redraws Senate Districts 2 and 7. He maintains that, even if the MICRC draws its own maps, it would need to redraw more than the six ordered.
“The order forces the redraw of six districts and there are two more that were so pinning down the other six that I think two more are inevitable, so they’ll have to redraw at least eight,” Eguia said.
He said to draw his maps he tried to follow the steps the MICRC followed for the House maps and first drew the outlines without looking at race. Then he was able to make additional tweaks and edits based on feedback from groups.
He said he was afforded more time to redraw the six Senate districts than with the seven House districts. So, he was able to consult with the Michigan Democratic Black Caucus and the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee.
Because of that, he was able to create three variations of the same map, but all three were kept within the same eight districts.
“I am redrawing the minimum that I think is absolutely necessary to provide the remedy that the court requires,” Eguia said.
Eguia said he was glad to see the courts select the MICRC House district maps and was optimistic that the commissioners would be able to redraw the Senate districts just as well and with more time in front of them than with the first set.
“I am optimistic that they will succeed as well in the Senate map, and I think that the more that we all participate, giving them useful feedback, the more likely they are to succeed,” he said.
MICRC Executive Director Edward Woods III said anyone who is interested in a presentation from the commission could request one by emailing redistricting@michigan.gov.
“We do want to do presentations,” Woods said.
Woods said the MICRC would be meeting April 11 to look at the proposed timeline the commission would be using to redraw the six court-ordered districts. He said the commission would also be talking about the it’s appeal of the Agee v. Benson case that could come before the U.S. Supreme Court.
He said the proposal the MICRC would have to approve would be to start mapping April 18 to meet the court-ordered date of July 26.
He said the MICRC would be following the court order and what was laid out in the Michigan Constitution.
“We are going to follow the same template as the House maps,” Woods said.
Article courtesy MIRS News for SBAM’s Lansing Watchdog newsletter
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