At long last, members of the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission have approved final maps for State House, State Senate, and Congress. That now prompts a 45 day public comment window followed by potential enactment early in the new year.
The new maps reflect a 13-district congressional plan, with Michigan loosing a seat in the last census. The redrawn districts could cause some competitive primary and general elections in the Metro Detroit and West Michigan areas. Locally, St. Clair County and much of the current 10th congressional district will be drawn into the new 9th district, which incumbent Lisa McClain currently resides in and is favored to win re-election in the Republican stronghold district.
Although Democrats are projected to pick up more seats in the State Legislature, that is not the case locally. The new 25th State Senate district will look very familiar to the current 25th State Senate District represented by Dan Lauwers, stretching from northern Macomb County to the tip of the Thumb. In the State House plan, St. Clair County will be split up into three districts including a Port Huron-centric district (64th), a western district (65th), and a downriver district (63rd).
Groups on both sides of the political aisle have threatened lawsuits over the new maps. Commissioners say they don’t expect everyone to be happy, but they did the best in the time they had.
