LANSING – Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission filed suit last week asking the Michigan Supreme Court to extend the time to draw the new congressional and legislative redistricting maps.

The suit says the current constitutional deadline is untenable because the public comment period should begin on Sept. 17, but the U.S. Census Bureaus won’t have official data until Sept. 30. Traditionally, the data is available by March.

Benson and the MICRC want the court to move the deadline for the 13-member redistricting panel to propose new legislative districts from Sept. 17 to Dec. 11 and for the final maps for state House and Senate as well as Congressional districts to be approved no later than Jan. 25, 2022.

The candidate filing deadline is April 19, 2022, according to the Secretary of State’s office.

Published by the Small Business Association of Michigan