The Headlines
This week, Voters Not Politicians was pleased to see that our work to reinforce the importance of partisan fairness appears to have made an impact on the MICRC, as the commission presented two draft maps that improve upon the partisan fairness of the 2021 Linden map. But there are still several maps under consideration that raise concerns related to the constitutional criteria.
Looking toward the upcoming elections, Voters Not Politicians has also been working to convene the Kent County Ballot Access Project, a collaborative effort which seeks to increase voter turnout in communities that have been historically marginalized in our democracy.
The Details
Redistricting
- The commission continued developing multiple draft maps of the remedial state senate plan this week. Compared to the draft maps from last week, some of these maps improve on partisan fairness scores. In fact two of them do better than the Linden map, used in the 2022 elections, on the mean-median score, which is the measure we find most informative, considering the data set used.
- The collaborative maps that have improved partisan fairness include 042924 SD COL v1, and 042524 SD COL v7. Lower partisan fairness scores represent less bias and are therefore better:
| Lopsided Margin | Mean-Median | Efficiency Gap | Proportionality Bias | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 Linden | 4.70% | 1.30% | 1.90% | -2.40% |
| 042524 SD COL V7 | 5.01% | 0.34% | 1.93% | -2.39% |
| 042924 SD COL V1 | 5.00% | 0.34% | 1.93% | -2.39% |
- VNP staff and volunteers continue to very closely monitor every MICRC meeting so we can respond in real time to any threat to the process that a majority of Michigan voters approved.
- Voters Not Politicians is educating people who live in the impacted districts using targeted digital ads featuring custom animated video, and email. We are also preparing literature drops and phone banks to communities in the affected districts to encourage residents to make their voices heard in this transparent process.
Kent County Ballot Access Project
- In coalition with local grassroots organizations, Voters Not Politicians is working to increase voter turnout in traditionally underrepresented populations in Kent County.
- We are drawing from our volunteer and coalition base to enable voters and stakeholders to engage in equitable systemic change through our grassroots network.
- VNP and Voters Ed Fund are working with partners such as the Creston Neighborhood Association, Grandmas to the Rescue, All Voting is Local, and Urban Core Collective to ensure that Kent County voters know what is on the ballot, and how to access new voting rights brought by the passage of Proposal 22-2.
What’s Next
Next week, the commission will be hosting its first round of in-person public hearings in Macomb, Oakland, and Wayne counties. The commissioners will also be mapping during these hearings. Each hearing will be from 10 AM – 3 PM and 4 PM – 7 PM with a lunch break from 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM.
- Tuesday, May 7th: Warren Community Center, 5460 Ave, Warren MI 48092
- Wednesday, May 8th: Pearls Event Center, 26100 Northwestern Hwy, Southfield, MI 48076
- Thursday, May 9th: Wayne State University Student Center, 5221 Gullen Mall. Ste. 011, Detroit, MI 48202
As a reminder, the commission will submit draft proposed maps to the public and to the court by May 22. Public comment will run through June 21, and the commission will submit its final remedial map to the court by June 27. After review by the Reviewing Special Master (Bernie Grofman) and briefs from both parties, the court is expected to adopt a final plan by July 26.
For the remainder of the year, Voters Not Politicians and our partners in Kent County will be active at events, on the doors, and in stakeholder meetings working to hold elected officials accountable; educate voters about their rights, particularly Proposal 22-2; and maintaining open and collaborative relationships with local elected officials. A Voter Access town hall will take place on June 2nd, with location still to be determined.
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