Judge sets July deadline for redrawing metro Detroit Senate districts

A federal judge has set a timeline for the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) to redraw half-a-dozen state Senate districts.

Filing on behalf of a three-judge panel, U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney on Tuesday set a final deadline of July 26 for approval of a new Senate map previously ordered as a result of a 2022 lawsuit. 

“Currently, the parties are to meet and confer-and jointly submit, no later than April 12, 2024 — a proposed timeline for preparing a Senate remedial plan,” wrote Maloney. “The Court intends to approve a Senate map by Friday, July 26, 2024. The parties should be aware of the final date and should schedule their Senate remedial plan accordingly.”

The lawsuit that forced the redraw, Agee v. Benson, was filed in 2022 by 19 African-American Detroiters who live in seven Michigan House districts and six Michigan Senate districts that each include a portion of Detroit. In December, the three-judge panel ordered the MICRC to redraw the districts in question after it was determined they were an unconstitutional violation of the Voting Rights Act by diluting Black voters’ electoral strength. Detroit is 77% African American. 

The MICRC this year first tackled the House districts, as all of the 110 seats are up for election in November and the filing deadline to run in the 2024 election was fast approaching on April 23. That map was finally approved last week with the commission ending up reconfiguring a total of 15 House districts. 

Party control of the House is on the line as Democrats only won a narrow 56-54 victory in 2022, although the chamber is currently split 54-54 with two Democratic members resigning in November. A special general election is set for April 16 with Democrats favored to win both races.

The maps used in the 2022 election were the first ones designed by the MICRC, which was the result of a constitutional amendment voters passed in 2018. The panel has four Republicans, four Democrats and five independents. Previously, the Legislature was responsible for redistricting with the governor having signoff.