News, Culture and NPR for Central & Northern Michigan
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
91.7FM Alpena and WCML-TV Channel 6 Alpena are off the air. Click here to learn more.

Redistricting commission mulls future beyond lawsuits

Members of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission hear feedback from the public during a public hearing at the Lansing Center on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021.
Sarah Lehr / WKAR News
Members of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission hear feedback from the public during a public hearing at the Lansing Center on Thursday, Oct. 21, 2021.

Michigan’s redistricting commission is starting to plan for lawsuits against it to continue even after it disbands.

The constitutional amendment that created the commission ends the group’s service after its work wraps up.

The commission's mapping work is done. But it's not done responding to litigation.

"We have such short timelines to respond, and I don’t want to handicap our ability to defend ourselves. And that, I think that this language wasn’t particularly thought through in terms of the possibility of later litigation." said Commission chair Rebecca Szetela.

During a meeting today, Szetela suggested reducing the commission’s pay while continuing to meet on a reduced schedule over the next few years.

The commission currently faces two lawsuits, one in federal court and one before the state Supreme Court.