Metro Detroit residents will have a chance this week from Tuesday through Thursday to give in-person feedback on new proposals for Michigan’s state Senate districts.
The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is hosting the meetings, which are taking place in Detroit at Cass Technical High School on Tuesday, Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School on Wednesday, and Renaissance High School on Thursday.
The commission solicited in-person feedback earlier this year while drawing new state House districts, but some of those meetings were sparsely attended.
Commission Executive Director Edward Woods III said the group has gotten better at outreach and education.
“People liked it when the commission at the public hearings went back and explained the maps. So, we tried to do that prior to this particular public hearing so people could have an understanding of each and every one of the maps,” Woods said.
The process is part of a federal court-ordered redrawing of more than a dozen state House and Senate districts from around metro-Detroit.
Judges found the old maps were an unconstitutional racial gerrymander.
The commission finished its redrawing of metro-Detroit’s House districts in the spring, with the court approving the plan in late March. Like the approved House plan, many of the proposals for the Senate map change more than just the districts that were ruled unconstitutional.
The meetings are scheduled to run from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m.
Those who cannot attend in person are able to join via Zoom and provide public comment — though people who show up in person will have more opportunities to speak than those who do not.
Those who cannot attend in person are able to join via Zoom and provide public comment. Though people who show up in person will have more opportunities to speak than those who do not.
