LANSING, MI (WKZO AM/FM) — In a bombshell decision, federal judges are ordering the State of Michigan to redraw legislative Districts before the 2020 election.
The three judge panel says the legislative districts drawn in Michigan in 2011 were gerrymandered and unconstitutional, and Michigan’s Democratic voters have been robbed of their rights ever since.
Responding to a lawsuit filed by the League of Women Voters, they have ordered that all 34-of the districts the League challenged be redrawn by August 1, 2019.
They say if state legislature can’t come up with a plan the Governor can sign by that deadline, then the courts will do it.
The Judges say “The evidence points to only one conclusion: partisan considerations played a central role in every aspect of the redistricting process.” unfairly favoring Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Shirkey plans an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Western Michigan University Political Science Professor John Clark says there is a Republican majority on the high court, and so the decision yesterday may not be the final word.
State Senators on the redistricting list will have to run for reelection after only two years of what was supposed to be a four year term.
Kalamazoo Senator Sean McCann’s District isn’t on the list, but he says if there are enough changes it could change the shape of all districts, forcing them all on the ballot.
House Districts now filled by Jon Hoadley and Matt Hall, in Kalamazoo and Calhoun Counties are on a list of districts that the court says should be redrawn.
Several congressional districts are also slated to be redrawn, but not the districts currently held by Fred Upton, Bill Huizenga or Justin Amash. 7th District Congressman Tim Walberg’s district would be subject to revisions under the court ruling.
Michigan voters have approved the creation of a Redistricting Commission, to redraw Congressional and legislative lines, but they won’t go to work until the results of the 2020 Census are available, and those districts will not be in place until the 2022 election.
