The Michigan Supreme Court is about to have a political hot mess dumped on its lap. The court will decide whether voters will vote on an overhaul of how Michigan draws legislative and congressional districts. The group Voters Not Politicians has submitted some 425,000 petition signatures to get the question about amending the state constitution before voters in November. Currently, in Michigan, redistricting is done by the state Legislature. It’s been controlled by Republicans for the last twenty years. The Voters Not Politicians campaign wants the job to go to an independent commission.
But first, the Board of State Canvassers – the group that OKs putting questions on the ballot – has to approve it. The question has been held up for weeks by the board’s Republican chair. He won’t put the question on the board’s agenda without a court ruling.
The Michigan Court of Appeals ruled on Thursday that the ballot question does in fact meet the legal requirements. And, moreover, that the four-person, bipartisan board should approve the question for voters to decide in November.
Full Article: MI Supreme Court to decide on redistricting ballot question | Michigan Radio.