The saga over 13 Metro Detroit State House and Senate seats took a turn Thursday when the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission voted to appeal to the United States Supreme Court.
This was after a federal court panel found the commission bungled Metro Detroit’s maps by using race as the deciding factor in how they drew them, violating the Constitution.
A group of Detroit Democrats sued over these maps and won at the federal level.
“This is about making sure that Detroit is not stuck with representation that spans all the way into Macomb and across 8 Mile for the next 10 years,” said Sherry Gay-Dagnogo.
The federal court found the boundaries of the maps diluted the Black vote.
All parties are back in federal court on Friday (Jan. 5).
The Detroit group is hopeful the judges will appoint a special master to oversee the redrawing of the maps and set an April deadline for completing them. It would take the redraw out of the hands of the commission.
“I’m prayerfully hoping the judges find in our favor tomorrow,” Gay-Dagnogo said. “Because this group is not ready for prime time.”
There is no guarantee the U.S. Supreme Court will hear the commission’s appeal.
More: Metro Detroit voting maps ordered to be redrawn: What happens next?