LANSING — Michigan’s citizen redistricting panel could approve maps this month that would make the state far more competitive, giving Democrats a solid chance at controlling the state Legislature for the first time in decades.
But many African-American leaders fear the approach will reduce their clout, as the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission’s proposals have far fewer districts where Blacks are an outright majority.
“I don’t think they’ve done a very good job in considering what the unintended consequences are … Why did we become a sacrificial lamb to provide leverage for Democrats?” asked Sherry Gay-Dagnogo, a Democrat who represented Detroit from 2015 to 2020 in the Michigan House.
The controversy begs the question: What percentage of minorities need to be in a district to provide fair representation?
To read more, click on Bridge Detroit
