Michigan SoS Jocelyn Benson seeks to settle gerrymandering suit by redrawing House seats

New Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson announced Friday she wants to settle a federal lawsuit alleging Michigan’s political districts were illegally gerrymandered by redrawing 11 state House seats for the 2020 election.

The proposed settlement, which must be approved by the court and is already drawing fierce objections from Republicans, would end a contentious case brought by the League of Women Voters that alleged egregious efforts in 2011 by Republican lawmakers to skew House and Senate seats as well as U.S. congressional seats in that party’s favor.

The announcement by Benson, a Democrat, is limited to state House seats and does not involve state Senate or congressional districts, which the suit has also challenged. A trial in the suit is set to begin in U.S. District Court in Detroit on Feb. 5.

“I have a responsibility to ensure our elections operate in a manner that is fair, accessible and in compliance with the constitutional mandate of one person, one vote.” Benson said in prepared remarks.

Michigan Republicans — Speaker of the State House Lee Chatfield, state Rep. Aaron Miller and the Republican Congressional delegation — submitted a formal request to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor Friday night requesting the high court stay Benson's settlement proposal until they can review similar cases from Maryland and North Carolina.



https://www.bridgemi.com/public-sector/jocelyn-benson-seeks-settle-gerrymandering-suit-redrawing-house-seats