Every ten years, on the heels of the U.S. Census numbers being finalized, all of the state’s legislative and congressional districts are redrawn to be more representative of the shift in population.  These districts remain in place until the next census in ten years.

The drawing of districts in Michigan has always been viewed as skewed to benefit the party that currently controls the legislature.  While there are federal and state requirements that determine how much they can tinker with the boundaries of districts, the general public has always been suspect of the perceived “backroom” deal making.  Michigan, along with 36 other states, had always placed the responsibility for drawing the district lines with the legislature and Governor.

Eager to remove the “partisan gerrymandering” process from the legislature, the ballot group “Voters Not Politicians” formed in 2018 with the goal of amending the state’s constitution to remove the duty of redistricting congressional and legislative lines from the state legislature and governor and give it to an Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.  In May 2018, in a very surprising and stealthily effort, the ballot committee successfully turned in more than the necessary 315,654 signatures required to get the amendment on the ballot.  After facing months of court and administrative challenges, in August 2018 the Michigan Supreme Court authorized the placement of Proposal 2 on the November 2018 General Election ballot.  At the ballot, Proposal 2 was overwhelmingly adopted by the voters.

Soon after adoption, newly elected Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson began the process of working toward establishing the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission.  The effort entailed setting up a process for selecting thirteen randomly selected registered voters, comprised of four members who self-identify with each of the two major political parties, and five non-affiliated, independent members.

In late November 2019, a random drawing was held to determine the 250,000 registered Michigan voters who will receive an application to serve on the commission.  Representatives from a third-party independent accounting firm randomly selected the names, while members of the public and media observed. The Constitution requires that applications be mailed to 10,000 randomly selected voters. However, since this is the first time implementing the redistricting amendment, the Secretary of State chose to randomly select 250,000 voters to ensure the requisite number of individuals will respond to the mailing. Additionally, interested residents who did not receive an application through the random mailing have been provided the opportunity to fill one out online at RedistrictingMichigan.org.

Each week I receive questions about the next steps of establishing the commission.  Here are a few key dates on the horizon.  Additionally, there’s tons of information on the website, including a very helpful FAQ section.

• • Applications are due by June 1, 2020.
  • In June 2020 the Secretary of State must randomly select 200 semi-finalists; 60 applicants who affiliate with the Democratic Party, 60 applicants who affiliate with the Republican Party, and 80 applicants who do not affiliate with either party. Half of these semi-finalists must be recipients of the random mailing. Additionally, the entire pool of 200 semi-finalists must mirror the geographic and demographic makeup of the state.
  • Commissioners will be selected at random by September 1, 2020. The final commission will be comprised of four voters who affiliate with the Democratic Party, four with the Republican Party, and five who do not affiliate with either major party.
  • Once selected, the 13-member commission will have exclusive authority to adopt district boundaries for the Michigan Senate, Michigan House, and U.S. Congress every 10 years following the census.
  • The commission is required to convene no later than October 15, 2020.
  • The commission must adopt final maps by November 1, 2021 and they will take effect for the 2022 elections.

By the way, commissioners will be compensated.  Under the Constitutional amendment, commissioners receive compensation equal to 25 percent of the Governor’s salary, which amounts to approximately $40,000.  While it would be good to have thoughtful people without ulterior motives providing an important public service, for some the $40,000 salary will be enough to pique their interest.   Think about it, it’s a random draw, so you don’t have to run for the office and face the voters.   Additionally, the odds of being picked are much better than buying a winning $40,000 lottery ticket.

It really begs the question, “why not apply?”

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