Michigan Strikes a Blow Against Gerrymandering

How a Facebook post led to seismic political change driven by ordinary citizens

“A new species of Monster, which appeared in Essex South District in Jan. 1812,” printed in The Boston Gazette on March 26, 1812. Source: Store Nordske Leksikon

In 1812 Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry, signed a redistricting bill that produced the contorted State Senate map shown above. It benefitted his party over the Federalists, whose voters outnumbered Gerry’s in Massachusetts at the time. While partisan redistricting existed prior to this event, this example stuck in the public consciousness and “gerrymandering” was introduced into the American political dictionary.

Fast forward 209 years. On December 28th 2021 the Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission (MICRC) voted to approve three maps of legislative districts — one for Congress, another for State Senate, and the third for State House of Representatives. Gerrymandering in Michigan was dead.

In many states, the legislature creates new districts after the decennial census. Thus, the party controlling the legislature draws the lines to favor its party. It’s a patently undemocratic practice and both the Republican and Democratic parties do it. Some states have redistricting commissions, however, Michigan’s case is special for two reasons. The first is its unusual origin story.