Michigan Redistricting: Court Finds New Detroit Maps Better for Black Voters

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March 28, 2024

By Lauren Gibbons, Bridge Michigan

An attendee at a redistricting public hearing in Detroit considers several options for new metro Detroit state House districts. Seven existing House districts were scrapped by a federal court, where judges determined the commission improperly used racial data to draw maps. (Bridge photo by Lauren Gibbons)

New Detroit-area state House districts redrawn by Michigan’s citizen redistricting commission are fairer to Black voters and will take effect in time for this year’s elections, a federal court ruled Wednesday.

In a new opinion, a federal three-judge panel that rebuked the commission’s original work in several metro Detroit political districts determined there was “no basis to reject” the commission’s revised map, dubbed “Motown Sound FC E1.”

The new map “departs significantly” from the original plan, the court found, adhering more closely to county and municipal boundaries and increasing the number of majority-Black districts.

[…]

Commissioners aren’t done with their work yet — six state Senate districts also thrown out by the court will be dealt with later this spring.

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Learn about Bernard Lafayette and his fight for Black voting rights.

Read about the current redistricting efforts in Louisiana and the possible impact on Black voters.

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