A group of Michigan voters asked the court to determine if nine Detroit-area districts were re-drawn to dilute the political power of Detroit’s Black voters and whether that violated the 1965 Voting Rights Act.
John Bursch represents some of the plaintiffs. He explained why the case was heard in Kalamazoo, and not eastern Michigan.
“When we originally filed the lawsuit, there was already a federal three-judge panel that was hearing a congressional redistricting case out of Michigan. And so we filed in the Western District as a related case, so that the two cases could proceed together.
“As it turns out, the Congressional District challenge was thrown out. And so now we're the only one left."
Closing arguments in the five-day trial were heard on Wednesday. Bursch said attorneys must file final briefs before the case goes to the three judges for a ruling.
“If the court rules in favor of the plaintiff, the Black voters in Detroit, the new maps will have to be drawn. And under the Michigan Constitution provision that we adopted, the very first order is to comply with the US Constitution and the Federal Voting Rights Act."
The three-judge panel is expected to make its decision in January. Bursch said the judges will also need to decide if the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will have enough time to draw new maps for 2024.
If not, Bursch said, “the three-judge panel would have to impose a map, because we can't use a pair of maps for the House and Senate in the next cycle that are tainted by racial discrimination.”
Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson is one of the defendants named in the case. Her office declined to comment. A decision is expected in early 2024.
