Michigan court orders redistricting measure to go on ballot

The Michigan Court of Appeals on Thursday cleared the way for a measure against political gerrymandering to go on the November ballot.

The measure would change the way the state draws up its political district lines, by empowering an independent 13-person commission to redraw congressional and legislative districts.

The court rejected an opposition group’s request to keep the proposal off the ballot, according to the Associated Press.

The conservative group, Citizens Protecting Michigan’s Constitution, argued that the redistricting measure proposed by the Voters Not Politicians group rewrote the state’s Constitution. 

{mosads}

Judges Mark Cavanagh, Kirsten Frank Kelly and Karen Fort Hood, though, disagreed with the opposition group in a 3-0 ruling, writing that their lawsuit “is without merit.”

“The petition is not a general revision of the constitution, where it is narrowly tailored to address a single subject,” they added.

They ruled that the amendment proposed by the ballot committee Voters Not Politicians would introduce new concepts to the constitution but would not “modify or interfere with the fundamental operation of government.”

The court ordered the Board of State Canvassers to certify the petition for general election. 

The conservative group said it plans to appeal the decision to the Supreme Court.