Below is the timeline of Michigan’s first redistricting process under the redistricting reform amendment. The process will repeat every 10 years using new census data.
Application Process Opens
November 1, 2019
November 1 – (tentative) The Secretary of State’s office (SOS) announced that it will open the Commissioner application period in late 2019.
Redistricting budget for FY2020 approved
December 1, 2019
Michigan legislature and Governor must approve budget to fund the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission for Fiscal Year 2020.
Applications mailed
January 1, 2020
Last day for SOS to make Commissioner applications available statewide and to mail applications to 10,000 randomly chosen voters throughout the state, inviting them to apply for the Commission.
Census Day
April 1, 2020
Applications close
June 1, 2020
Application period closes – completed applications to serve on Commission must be submitted to SOS by this date.
Secretary of State narrows applications to 200 semi-finalists
July 1, 2020
SOS discards incomplete applications and applications of those disqualified from serving, such as partisan officeholders. SOS then uses statistical weighting and random selection to narrow pool to 200 “semi-finalists” (40 Republicans, 40 Democrats, and 60 unaffiliated) who, as a group, represent the geographic and demographic diversity of the state. List of 200 semi-finalists is made public and submitted to the state legislature.
Legislative leaders strike up to 20 applicants from semi-finalists
August 1, 2020
The 4 legislative leaders — the majority and minority leader of the State House and the majority and minority leader of the State Senate — may (but are not required to) each strike up to 5 applications from the semi-finalist pool of 200.
Final Commissioners randomly selected
September 1, 2020
SOS randomly draws 13 applicants to serve on the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (4 Republicans, 4 Democrats, and 5 unaffiliated).
Commission convenes
October 15, 2020
Commissioners must meet and start their work together.
FY 2021 redistricting budget approved
December 1, 2020
Michigan legislature and Governor must approve budget to fund the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission for Fiscal Year 2021.
Commission holds public hearings
January 1, 2021
Commission must hold at least 10 public hearings before drafting plans and at least 5 public hearings to gather public feedback on proposed plans between January 1 and November 1.
Census data released
February 1, 2021
February 1 (expected) – Michigan should receive its official census data from the federal government around this time, based on past practice.
Final maps
November 1, 2021
Last day for Commission to adopt final maps.
Primary Election Day
August 2, 2022
First statewide primary election that uses the Commission-drawn election maps.
Election Day
November 8, 2022
First statewide general election that uses the Commission-drawn election maps.