Michigan voters Tuesday will decide whether or not to put an end to the way state and federal voting district lines are drawn in Michigan. Commonly referred to as gerrymandering, critics of the current process argue that politicians, behind closed doors, purposely manipulate districts to favor a specific political party in future elections. And according to the Princeton Gerrymandering Project, Michigan is one of the most gerrymandered states in the nation.
Proposal 2 would effectively strip lawmakers of the responsibility of drawing district lines every 10 years, and that job over to a 13-member commission made up of four Republicans, four Democrats, and five individuals who must swear under oath that they are not affiliated with either political party.
Behind proposal 2 is grassroots organization Voters Not Politicians. Last year the group made up of mostly volunteers collected the necessary 315,000 plus signatures required to force the issue on the November ballot.
“I think people are tire of the rigged system that favors special interests and lobbyists over people,” Voters Not Politicians Executive Director Katie Fahey said.
According to a recent poll by Epic-MRA, the number suggest that message is having an impact on the minds of voters, with 59 percent of those surveyed saying they will vote yes, compared to 29 percent who say they will vote no.
