Michigan Redistricting Challenge (Detroit Caucus)

Lawsuit filed on behalf of members of the Michigan House of Representatives representing Detroit, the Romulus City Council and Black voters challenging Michigan’s new legislative and congressional maps drawn with 2020 census data. The complaint argues that the new maps dilute the voting strength of Black voters, particularly in and around the city of Detroit, in violation of the Michigan Constitution and Voting Rights Act. The plaintiffs allege that the two majority-Black congressional districts under the old map were eliminated in this round of redistricting and state House and Senate maps also decreased the number of majority-Black districts. The plaintiffs ask the court to declare the current maps invalid and order the commission to redraw the maps to comply with the Michigan Constitution. After an oral argument was held, the court dismissed the case, finding that the plaintiffs did not provide evidence of racial vote dilution and “have not identified grounds or legal authority that would allow us to question the Commission’s decision not to draw race-based, majority-minority districts.”

Last updated: February 16, 2022 2:02 pm EST