Federal Judges Order Redrawing of 13 Michigan Legislative Districts Due to Illegal Racial Influence

Federal judges have ordered Michigan to redraw 13 House and Senate districts, ruling that the recently-redrawn maps are in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution. The order also prohibits further elections in the current districts until the maps are redrawn. The ruling could impact the 2024 election and influence which party controls the State Legislature. The lawsuit, initially filed in March 2022, accused the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission of racially gerrymandering districts, reducing the power and representation of Black voters. The commission and Democratic plaintiffs have until January 2 to submit their plans for redrawing the districts.