DETROIT (WXYZ) — Every 10 years, the lines for voting districts are redrawn. The commission tasked with redistricting this time around is accused of racial gerrymandering. On Tuesday, a panel of three federal judges decided to send the issue to trial.
“They need to go to trial about that for sure," Detroiter Brittany Hooks told 7 Action News.
The case Agee vs. Benson is a lawsuit that was filed in March of 2022. The plaintiff accuses the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission of watering down Black voter percentages when re-drawing electoral districts.
If true, Detroiter Larry Smith said, “I feel that’s unfair. It’s unfair to our community cause we the people should have a voice.”
Tuesday, a three-judge panel issued an opinion stating a jury should decide if several of the 17 newly drawn districts were mapped out fairly.
Plaintiff’s attorney John Bursch told 7 Action News, "The decision is a huge win for the plaintiffs in this case. It’s fairly rare that redistricting challenges make it past a preliminary motion stage to trial.”
He claims the commission used “racial quotas” to draw the lines around Black voters in Detroit in a way that makes it harder to 'elect the candidates of their choice'.
“Using these quotas, the commission reduced many of these districts down to 40 percent or even in the 30 percents and as a result, we lost 15 to 20 percent of the Black Legislative Caucus in the last election cycle," Bursch explained.
He added, "It’s a devastating outcome for Black voters, and we’re confident that the judges will see that.”
The commission was appointed by Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and is made up republicans, democrats and independents. Steven Lett, a member of the commission, serves as the legal liaison.
He said based upon the information given to the commission the districts were drawn fairly.
“Where would I hope it would turn out? I think that we tried to do a good job. Certainly, there can be disputes, and there is as to whether or not we did," Lett told 7 Action News
He explained this isn’t the first challenge the commission has faced of this kind, and he said the judges did what the commission anticipated.
“If the court determines that ‘no, we made a mistake’ (then) we’ll go back and correct it," Lett said.
Regardless of the outcome of the trial, some say they're still disillusioned by the voting process.
Smith said, “My vote don’t ever count. Mine don’t. Cause ain’t nobody I ever voted for won. But I like to vote though. Give me a day off work," he said.
7 Action News learned the trial will likely start in early November.
