Detroiters
can
weigh in
on
Election
District
Maps
DETROIT,
MI—Detroit
residents
are
being
asked to
show up,
speak
up, and
choose
their
preferred
district
map this
month
when the
Michigan
Independent
Citizens
Redistricting
Commission
(MICRC)
convenes
public
hearings
for
comments.
The
commission
wants
resident
feedback
to
select
from
nine
versions
of a
proposed
district
map
plus an
independent
map.
Input
from
Detroiters
will
help
redraw
boundaries
for the
Michigan
House of
Representatives
in
Districts
1, 7, 8,
10, 11,
12, and
14.
The
hearings
are set
for the
following
dates
and
locations:
●
Thursday,
February
15, 9
a.m.-
8
p.m.
—
Virtual
(Residents
must
use this
Zoom
link to
login
to this
hearing,
and must
raise
their
hands
virtually
to make
comments.)
o
Recess
from
noon-1
p.m. and
4-5 p.m.
●
Wednesday,
February
21, 10
a.m.-
8
p.m.
at
Greater
Grace
Temple,
23500 W.
Seven
Mile
Road,
Detroit,
MI 48219
o
Recess
from 1-2
p.m. and
5-6 p.m.
●
Thursday,
February
22,
10 a.m.-
8 p.m.
at
Second
Ebenezer
Church,
14601
Dequindre
Road,
Detroit,
MI
48212
o
Recess
from 1-2
p.m. and
5-6 p.m.
MICRC
Chair
Brittni
Kellom,
a native
Detroiter,
urges
all
residents
to take
advantage
of these
new
opportunities
to speak
up
because
their
opinions
will
make a
difference.
“The
commissioners
are your
neighbors—regular
people—making
an
effort
to
genuinely
listen
to
citizens…so
we need
you,”
Kellom
said.
“We need
the
history
of the
people
with the
specifics
of the
community.
We
cannot
draw
equitable
maps
that
reflect
real
people
without
Detroit
citizens.”
The
MICRC
was born
from a
successful
citizen-led,
statewide
ballot
initiative
in 2018
designed
to end
the
practice
of
gerrymandering.
It
tasked
citizens,
rather
than
politicians
or
elected
officials,
with
establishing
boundaries
for the
Michigan
Congressional,
State
House,
and
State
Senate
districts.
The
commission,
at its
Feb. 1
meeting,
approved
nine
configurations
of a map,
and an
independent
map was
also
submitted
for the
public’s
consideration.
Detroiters
unable
to
attend
any of
the
public
meetings
can
still
submit
comments
on the
MICRC
website
at
www.michigan-mapping.org
or call
1-866-627-3247
(866-MAP-FAIR)
for
information.
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