Experts say court's decision to redraw 13 seats in Michigan's Legislature was necessary
FOX 2 (WJBK) - One day after federal judges determined the boundaries of 13 Michigan House and Senate seats must be redrawn, experts are claiming the decision was necessary in order to ensure fairness and representation.
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 is a former state lawmaker and current school board member in Detroit. She led the charge in allowing plaintiffs their day in court to challenge the maps approved by Michigan's redistricting commission in January 2022.
"When I listened to commissioners that said that they put Detroit into Oakland County to be able to change that dynamic, I knew that that would never happen," Dangogo said. It was unfair. It was unjust to split our Detroit into 22 pieces – and to only have seven of those representatives live in the City of Detroit is wrong."
The lawsuit was filed by a group of Black residents who argued that the map diluted their voting power. The seats at issue –seven in the House and six in the Senate– are all held by Democrats.
"How does bright Moore and Birmingham belong together? That just didn't make any sense," Dangogo added while thanking the residents who stepped up and said "we need to fix this. We deserve to have a voice."
Specialists repeatedly told the state redistricting commission in 2021 that certain percentages were necessary to comply with federal law. The panel, however, disagreed.
"That proposition is without support" in precedents set by the U.S. Supreme Court, the panel of federal judges said.
"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.
Court says boundaries for 13 seats in Michigan Legislature were illegally influenced by race
Experts had repeatedly told a state redistricting commission in 2021 that certain percentages were necessary to comply with federal law. The panel, however, disagreed.
"Race became so predominant because they believed that they were trying to hit certain racial targets of 35 to 40% in Wayne County," said Jennifer Green, the plaintiffs' attorney. "As the Court pointed out, there was no basis in the law to do that."
The House is currently tied 54-54 among Democrats and Republicans, with two vacancies. Democrats are in the majority in the Senate, 20-18.
"It's important for us to be able to elect people that look like us from our communities," said former State Senator Adam Hollier. "This decision recognizes that we have a right and an obligation in the constitution to draw maps that provide us with that opportunity."
The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission believes the decision was unnecessarily harsh on them. Commissioners said they follow the U.S. Constitution, redistricting criteria, and citizen input to draw fair maps.
The commission wrote:
"To ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act, the Commission considered race to comply with this act and not at the expense of the 14th Amendment. The court came to a different conclusion, the Commission will consider its options moving forward."
A supplemental briefing has been scheduled for Jan. 2, 2024, to discuss how to come up with a new map and consider questions – including whether or not a special master should assist the commission in redrawing some of the lines that have now been deemed unconstitutional.
AP News contributed to this report.