3 Michigan redistricting commissioners resign, random selection to be held in January
FOX 2 (WJBK) - The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) is down to 10 members after three commissioners submitted their resignations this month.
Two of the resignations, from Democratic member MC Rothhorn and Republican member Douglas Clark, came on Dec. 26 – after three federal judges ruled that 13 Detroit House and Senate districts must be re-drawn. The judges deemed the maps unconstitutional and influenced by race on Dec. 21.
Democratic member Dustin Witjes resigned prior to the ruling, on Dec. 20.
The Michigan Department of State will host a random selection to replace the former members on Wednesday, Jan. 3, at 3:30 p.m., according to a news release. The selection process will be live-streamed on MICRC's social media pages.
Adhering to the state constitution, "new commissioners will be randomly selected from the remaining pool of semi-finalist applicants who affiliate with the same party as the departing commissioner," according to the Michigan Department of State. "Of the 200 semi-finalists randomly selected in June 2020, there are 52 remaining who affiliate with the Democratic Party and 54 who affiliate with the Republican Party."
Plaintiffs of the Agee v. Benson lawsuit, which challenges the maps approved by Michigan's redistricting commission in January 2022, say they believe a special master should be involved in redrawing the map.
"I, as a citizen of Detroit, matter. I want to make sure that we have representation that is real," said one of the plaintiff's, Natalie Bien-Aime.
The seats at issue –seven in the House and six in the Senate– are all held by Democrats.
"The record here shows overwhelmingly - indeed, inescapably - that the commission drew the boundaries of plaintiffs' districts predominantly on the basis of race. We hold that those districts were drawn in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution," Judge Raymond Kethledge wrote.
The commission is holding a special meeting on Thursday. One of the items up for discussion is an update on the lawsuit. Another special MICRC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 11.
"Given the time constraints, I think going back to the commission, who now is going to be comprised of 3 new members, would be tricky," said Jennifer Green, the plaintiffs' attorney. "That’s why we think there should be some sort of additional, professional guidance appointed to the comission to help oversee the process – and the court’s going to retain jurisdiction throughout the proceeding."
Experts say court's decision to redraw 13 seats in Michigan's Legislature was necessary
In a detailed opinion spanning over 100 pages, three judges declared on Thursday that the map was unconstitutional and illegally influenced by racial factors.
Sherry Gay-Dangogo, a former state lawmaker and current school board member in Detroit, said the comission lacked "cultural competency" when drawing the maps. She has led the charge in allowing plaintiffs their day in court.
"We have to make sure that, locally, now we get to weigh in. And we’re calling people to the table that are part of a number of organizations that may not have been a part of the lawsuit," Dangogo said. "We’re inviting people to have first look at what those maps look like."
FOX 2 reached out to the MICRC for comment but did not receive a response.
AP News contributed to this report.