Secretary of State launches 'Redistricting Michigan' web portal

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced the launch of a new web portal on Wednesday for residents interested in being involved in the redistricting process.

In November, Michigan residents overwhelmingly passed a ballot initiative to eliminate gerrymandering, or the rigging of districts to favor one party over another. In Michigan, the districts were redrawn by Republicans in 2010 to favor their party.

The proposal, brought forth by grassroots organization Voters Not Politicians, calls for a non-partisan commission headed by 13 Michigan residents. The portal allows interested residents to educate themselves on the redistricting process and learn how to apply to serve on the commission, which will be made up of four Democrats, four Republicans, and four independents who will be randomly selected from the applicant pool.

"For the commission to succeed, continued citizen involvement, engagement and education is critical," Benson says in a statement. "For the commission to succeed, continued citizen involvement, engagement and education is critical. This web page will provide one reliable source of information for citizens and, later this year, will provide a portal for citizens to apply to serve on the commission.”

More information about the redistricting application process and the commission can be found at RedistrictingMichigan.com.

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