The following can be attributed to Nancy Wang, Executive Director of Voters Not Politicians, on the appeal filed on Monday, August 3 by Tony Daunt of the Michigan Freedom Fund of the District Court’s final order of dismissal of the Daunt, et al v. Benson lawsuit:
“In less than a month, the 13 members of Michigan’s first Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will be randomly selected to lead a voter-led process to redraw our state’s election district maps. It’s time for Tony Daunt of the Michigan Freedom Fund and his co-plaintiffs to accept the people’s will – now enshrined in the state Constitution – to abandon partisan gerrymandering in favor of a fair, impartial, and transparent redistricting process of, for, and by the people. Voters Not Politicians’ thousands of volunteers who led the fight to end gerrymandering will continue to fight against Daunt’s meritless attacks against our Constitution, while at the same time we will empower communities to make themselves heard in the new redistricting process.”
Opponents of fair redistricting in Michigan are appealing District Court Judge Janet Neff’s July 6, 2020, order disposing of their claims in the Daunt, et al v. Benson lawsuit. The appeal would be heard by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, despite the fact that the District Court decision now being challenged was based on the same issues of law and reasoning of a prior decision of the Sixth Circuit in this same lawsuit.
Implementation of the redistricting reform amendment continues, with the 180 semi-finalists announced on Friday, July 31. The Secretary of State’s office will randomly draw 13 applicants to serve on the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (4 Republicans, 4 Democrats, and 5 unaffiliated) by September 1. Michigan’s first Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission must then convene by October 15.
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Contact: Elizabeth Battiste
ebattiste@martinwaymire.com; 248-404-7846
Voters Not Politicians is a nonpartisan advocacy organization that works to strengthen democracy by engaging people across Michigan in effective citizen action. Learn more at www.votersnotpoliticians.com.
