Redistricting Process Progresses

The State Senate acted Thursday on deal struck between the GOP caucus and Detroit Dems on a new Senate district map. On a 29-8 vote, the Senate passed the new map, identical to the map released last week – with the exception of the lines in Wayne County.

The four sitting Democratic Senators from Detroit who are eligible to run again for office in 2014 would keep their existing districts for the most part, adding other portions of the city and pieces of the suburbs to make-up for population loss.

Senators Morris Hood III, Bert Johnson, Virgil Smith and Coleman Young II all voted for the plan, praising the Redistricting Committee Chairman Senator Joe Hune’s (R-Hamburg) openness.

Senator Rebekah Warren (D-Ann Arbor) also joined in voting yes with the above-listed four and 24 Republicans. Senator Mark Jansen (R-Gaines Township) voted no and Senator Dave Hildenbrand (R-Lowell) remains absent mourning the loss of his father.

Earlier in the week, the House of Representatives acted on a congressional redistricting map, passing the measure 63-47. As expected, the map draws current US Representatives Sander Levin (D-Roseville) and Gary Peters (D-Bloomfield Township) into the same seat. Also of note are the drastic changes in the districts where current US Reps Hansen Clarke (D-Detroit) and John Conyers (D-Detroit) reside, maintaining small pieces of their current districts. The new lines would leave the sitting members vulnerable to considerable challenges.

Two democratic members of the House of Representatives surprisingly voted in favor of the plan, Representatives Doug Geiss (D-Taylor) and Andrew Kandrevas (D-Southgate). Both stated that they approved of the plan’s treatment of the district currently held by US Rep. John Dingell (D-Dearborn).

Republican Representatives Bob Genetski (R-Saugatuck) and Tom McMillin (R-Rochester) voted no.

posted by PAA Online , Friday, June 24, 2011 10:36 AM
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