Redistricting in Michigan

Republicans held legislative control of the redistricting process throughout most of the 19th and 20th centuries, with Democrats holding control in 1850, 1890, 1970, 1980 and 1990.

Following the 1990 United States census, Michigan lost the 18th and 17th districts.

Following the 2000 United States census, Michigan lost the 16th district. Republicans held control of the redistricting process.

Following the 2010 United States census, Michigan lost the 15th district. Republicans held control of the redistricting process, using the REDMAP plan to maximize gains in legislative and congressional maps.

In 2018, voters approved of a proposal to establish an independent redistricting commission for congressional and state legislative districts for Michigan.[1]

Following the 2020 United States census, Michigan lost the 14th district. Despite retaining legislative majorities in the 2020 elections, Republican legislators no longer controlled the redistricting process, as the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission was convened to redraw legislative and congressional maps.

Both congressional and state legislature maps drawn by the MICRC were challenged in court for violating the VRA by reducing the number of Black-majority districts in Detroit.[2] While supporters claim that this allows Black voters to elect more Black-aligned candidates across a larger number of districts, opponents argue that this dilutes the power of Black voters.[3] The lawsuit against both the state legislative districts and the congressional districts was dismissed on February 3, 2022, due to insufficient evidence that the redistricting commission needed to create the same number of Black-majority districts.[4]