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Redistricting public hearings underway in Michigan

Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission meeting at Cadillac Place in Detroit, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.
Eric Seals/Detroit Free Press
/
Associated Press
Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission meeting at Cadillac Place in Detroit, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2021.

Michigan’s redistricting commission ment in Detroit Wednesday to get feedback on recently proposed state legislative districts. Most of the proposed maps involving Detroit create districts with African-American populations below 50-percent. Detroit is 78-percent Black.

Activists and local politicians have urged the redistricting commissioners to make several majority-minority districts.

Wayne County Commissioner Jonathan Kinloch says the transparency of the process will help root out malfeasance.

“Hopefully because of sunlight being brought on to this process concerns being raised, that the legislative districts that will be modified from this commission will be more fair would be more inclusive.”

Diluting African-American populations to below 50-percent is a method used to gerrymander districts and marginalize the Black electorate.

More than 100 people signed up to make comments in person. Anyone who signs up at TCF Center before 7 p-m will be heard by the commission.

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