Add the Michigan Civil Rights Department director to the growing number of voices who say that the initial redistricting maps proposed by the state’s new independent panel violate the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965.
Election
A national gerrymandering project from Princeton University has graded Michigan’s 10 preliminary district maps headed for public comment after they were approved last week by the state’s independent citizens panel.
Lucas Allen, 42, registered as a write-in candidate for the At-Large City Commissioner race Monday, joining fellow write-in candidate Torrey Brown. The seat is currently held by incumbent Clayton Lyczynski who is not seeking reelection.
Downtown Three Rivers resident and First District City Commission candidate Justin Mitchell told Watershed Voice Wednesday he is bowing out of next month’s election for personal reasons.
The former heads of both major Michigan political parties are joining forces to help Michigan become the next state to ratify a National Popular Vote (NPV) amendment. Former Michigan Republican Party Chair Saul Anuzis and former Michigan Democratic Party Chair Mark Brewer say it would make elections more fair and democratic by doing away with the current “winner-take-all” system for awarding electoral votes
Michigan’s redistricting commission began drafting new congressional and legislative maps on Friday and will do so through Oct. 8. This comes after the commission approved Thursday a process and schedule to draft the maps in a 10-2 vote.
If passed, the John Lewis Voting Rights and Advancement Act would establish a preclearance formula that would require some states that want to make changes to their voting laws to receive permission from the Justice Department first.
The Michigan AFL-CIO drew up its own set of state legislative maps for the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) to consider before the panel begins crafting new U.S. House and state House and Senate district lines for the next 10 years.
Park Township Trustee Tom Springer has written a letter in response to a recent Letter to the Editor published by Watershed Voice titled “Park Township Proposed Tax Increase.” Springer writes that implying the township board tried “to keep the road millage ballot proposal a secret” is “inaccurate and unfair.”
Katie Sweeney of Park Township contends township residents have “not been properly informed” of a proposed millage that, if passed, would result in an increase of up to .5 mills to help fund road repairs within the township over a four-year period. The issue will appear on the upcoming Michigan Primary ballot on Tuesday, August 3.
Republicans during a U.S. House Judiciary panel hearing on Tuesday argued that a bill that would reinstate a preclearance section of the 1965 Voting Rights Act is unnecessary because there is no discrimination in voting.
The Michigan Senate Elections Committee voted on three bills Wednesday that could reform voting procedures to mandate photo identification being presented when applying for an absentee ballot or casting a ballot.
A U.S. House elections panel on Thursday heard from witnesses about the need to craft a new formula that identifies which states or jurisdictions have problematic histories of racial discrimination when it comes to access to the ballot box.
In Michigan, Republican lawmakers this week introduced a 39-bill package that would ban unsolicited mass mailing of absentee ballot applications, prohibit pre-paid postage on absentee ballot envelopes for absentee ballots, require a photo ID, curb the hours people could drop off their ballots in boxes and require video surveillance of such drop boxes.
Julianne Pastula, general counsel for Michigan’s new Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (ICRC), said during a meeting Thursday that the current timeline for drawing new district lines is “an untenable situation.”
Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson on Monday rolled out a number of election-related initiatives, centered around expanding voter accessibility and strengthening election security.
“There is talk about returning to normalcy but we all know that we experienced an abrupt end to an era as we knew it, and witnessed the foundation of whatever else is to come. Whatever it is we are resilient. We are yet hopeful. As things are looking up but continue to be uncertain, all we can do is to step out on faith. Stay encouraged. Cheers to 2021.”
WSV Columnist Aundrea Sayrie asks voters to think beyond the presidential election and focus on the needs of their respective communities.