Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission Denied Extension Despite Census Delays
The commission in charge of drawing new legislative and congressional maps for Michigan has been denied a preemptive deadline extension by the state Supreme Court.
The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission will not have a deadline to turn in new maps for legislative and congressional maps pushed back by the state Supreme Court, despite a six month delay in the U.S. Census Bureau releasing data.
The current deadline for an initial proposal is Sept. 17, but the Census Bureau won’t have the data ready until Sept. 30.
The court acknowledged on Friday that it believes the commission has worked diligently and has been put in a difficult position to present fair voting maps. But the court says there isn’t a sufficient legal reason for it to preemptively extend the deadline.
Julianne Pastula, the general counsel for the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission, says there will be no more calls for relief from the Supreme Court.
“Certainly the commission appreciates the court’s decision and the how expeditiously issued the decision,” says Pastula. “But we would not have a plan to go back to the court seeking relief again.”
This likely won’t be the end of lawsuits; conservative groups were set to challenge the new maps even if the commission met the September 17 deadline.
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