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Federal court: Michigan political maps illegally gerrymandered

Source: The Detroit News

Detroit — Michigan must redraw legislative and congressional districts for the 2020 elections because Republican lawmakers unconstitutionally gerrymandered current maps, a three-judge federal panel ruled Thursday.

The blockbuster ruling requires Michigan to conduct special state Senate elections for certain seats next year, cutting in half the four-year terms that current lawmakers are now serving

The “predominate purpose” of the redistricting plan approved by the GOP-led Legislature in 2011 “was to subordinate the interests of Democratic voters and entrench Republicans in power,” said the unanimous decision written by U.S. Circuit Court Judge Eric Clay, an appointee of Democratic President Bill Clinton.

“Therefore, the enacted plan constitutes a durable partisan gerrymander.”

Read more: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2019/04/25/michigan-gerrymandering/3576663002/