LANSING –State Rep. Jon Hoadley (D-Kalamazoo) and Rep. Jeremy Moss (D-Southfield) are introducing proposals to improve the process of redistricting Michigan’s political districts by creating a nonpartisan commission that would oversee the drawing of political boundaries. The proposals come in the wake of a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that found similar nonpartisan commissions in other states are constitutionally valid.
“Our democracy needs to be more responsive to voters. Voters sense the process is broken. Let’s fix it,” Rep. Hoadley said. “Voters should select their politicians rather than politicians picking which voters they want in their district. In setting up a nonpartisan commission, we would be taking the politics out of redistricting.”
The bills call for the creation of a nonpartisan redistricting commission comprised of regular citizens who would be tasked with creating district maps that are Constitutional, compliant with the Voting Rights Act, contiguous, geographically relevant, compact, nested, and not drawn to protect incumbents.
“In a healthy democracy, voters pick their elected representatives. Gerrymandering turns that on its head by allowing politicians to pick their voters,” Rep. Moss said. “That’s not right, no matter which party is in charge. I urge my colleagues to back our plan to make Michigan politics more responsive to people. This is government by the people, for the people and of the people.”