Redistricting in Michigan

Written by Kathy Gapa

Every ten years when the Census is complete, federal law requires that state and local governing bodies begin the process of redistricting if there have been significant shifts in population since the last census due to deaths, births, and migrations. The Census Bureau has an April 1 deadline for sending data to the states and then on to local levels. Once the data is received, each governing body will begin its work of recreating districting plans, which must be complete in time for the next election.

The LWVUS promotes four essential principles to assure representative government:

1. An accurate and complete count in Census 2010, and all future censuses, is an building block for all redistricting effort;

2. The process used for redistricting must be transparent to the public;

3. The redistricting process, at all levels of government, must provide data, tools and opportunities for the public to have direct public input into specific plans under consideration by the redistricting body;

4. In order to achieve representative democracy, redistricting plans must be drawn in a manner that allows elected bodies to reflect the diversity of the populace, especially racial and ethnic diversity.

In Michigan, the state legislature will draw lines for US Congressional Districts and the State Legislature. In Wayne County, an Apportionment Commission will be appointed; they have sixty days to come with a districting plan and to decide how many districts there will be. Once the plan is complete, it must then be presented for public comment. Facts that will influence Michigan’s districts

What are the guidelines for drawing districts? 1. All districts are to be single-member districts and should have as close to equal population as possible. 2. All district lines must be contiguous. 3. All districts must be compact and nearly square in shape as is practical, depending on the geography of the county area involved. 4. No township or part of a township can be combined with any city or part of a city to create a single district, unless necessary to meet the population standard.5. Townships, villages, and cities can be divided only, if necessary to meet the population standard. 6. Precincts can only be divided if necessary to meet the population standard. 7. Residents of state institutions who are ineligible to vote, such as prison inmates, must be excluded from representation. 8. Districts cannot be drawn to result in partisan representation.

One principle of a democratic government is one man, one vote. The Voter’s Rights Act prohibits states from imposing any “voting qualifications or prerequisites to voting, or standard practice or procedure to deny or abridge the right of any citizen of the US to vote on account of race or color. This Act was passed in 1965-it was sent to Congress by President Johnson.

Why does it matter? From a pamphlet written by the Michigan Redistricting Collaborative they state “Today in Michigan, the districts are drawn by elected officials, whose interests are different than the interests of voters as a whole. The districts are often drawn to provide an advantage to the political party in control of the process. This issue isn’t a Republican or Democratic matter-both parties do it equally when they have the opportunity. This means voters’ voices are often limited. After reviewing election results from 2000 to 2010, the Center for Michigan reported that ‘Only about one in seven Michigan residents live in what could be deemed a consistently competitive swing district. In the Michigan House, only 25 of 110 districts changed party control over the past decade; in the Senate only 6 of 38.’ In 2006, only 45 percent of Michigan voters supported Republican candidates for the state Senate. Yet due to skillful map drawing, Republicans won 55 percent of the seats in the Senate, and were able to control the body. Similar actions in Wayne County, for instance, result in Democrats winning 14 of 15 seats-94 percent- despite taking 72 percent of the vote. Many districts are drawn with a goal of helping elect one partisan politician, or at least to benefit one party or the other. The process of redistricting is typically heavily influenced by lobbyists and PACs and other partiese with vested interests. This is not good for democracy, in which voters-not partisan leaders or lobbyists-are supposed to be in charge!”

Voting in Michigan’s Primary

Michigan’s Presidential Primary is Tuesday, February 28. What is different this year? First of all, it’s a closed primary and Michigan rarely holds closed primaries. A closed primary means only Democrats can vote for Democrats and only Republicans can vote for Republicans. Voters will get different ballots based on your party affiliation.

An open primary would offer one ballot with both parties choices on it and it’s up to the voter to vote in only one party’s election. Those who attempt to vote in both parties’ elections would not have their ballot count at all.

Secondly, the political party you choose will become a matter of public record. It does not register you as a member of that party, however.

Last year, the Republican-dominated state legislature passed a law to make public the voters’ party affiliations in the Presidential Primary. One can assume this is to deter Democrats from voting in the Republican primary. Democrats will have only one name on their ballot, and a vote on Feb. 28 will be largely symbolic because Michigan’s Democratic Party decided to hold their presidential caucus on May 5. That’s when they will officially select Barack Obama as their candidate.

What’s on the February 28 ballot? For Democrats, only the name of Barack Obama. For Republicans, the names of 11 Republican candidates. The list of Republicans was finalized in December and will not reflect the fact that some candidates may have dropped out of the race. The names in alphabetical order are: Michelle Bachmann, Herman Cain, Newt Gingrich, Jon Huntsman, Gary Johnson, Fred Karger, Ron Paul, Rick Perry, Buddy Roemer, Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum.

Voter ID requirements have not changed in the last 2 years. Voters must show picture identification. Preferred are your Michigan driver’s license or personal ID card. If a voter doesn’t have either, a current picture ID from another state, federal or state government-issued photo ID, a U.S. passport, military ID with photo, student ID with photo from a high school or an accredited institution of higher education, or a tribal ID card with photo may substitute.

If a voter does not have picture ID, they may vote after signing an affidavit.

Forum Showtimes (updated)

Candidate Forums and Millage Proposals were taped in Dearborn Hts and Dearborn.

note: This article will be updated as additional viewing times are scheduled.

Bookmark this link if you want to check times as we will be updating the viewing schedule as needed. http://lwvddh.blogspot.com/2011/10/forum-video-showtimes.html

Dearborn Hts Forums

> City Council Forum - 1 & 7 am/pm Daily

> Headlee Override Forum - 2:30 & 8:30 am/pm Daily

> D7 School Board Forum - 12:30 am/pm on Saturdays & Sundays

> The City Clerk Forum - 6 & 12 am/pm Daily

Dearborn Forums

Millage and Civil Service Commission Proposals, Dearborn School Board

>>Dearborn Ballot Proposals online forum video. Click to watch.

>>Dearborn School Board Forum is available online. Click to watch!

Times listed below are for CDTV WOW channel 10, Comcast channel 12

Millage and Civil Service Ballot Proposals

Mon. 6 & 10 am, 2, 6, 10 pm

Tue. 7 & 11 am, 3 & 11 pm

Wed. 6 & 10 am, 6 & 10 pm

Thu. 7 & 11 am, 3 & 11 pm

Fri. 6 am, 2, 6, 10 pm

Sat. 8 am, 12 & 4 pm

Sun. 8 am, 12 pm

Dearborn School Board Forum

Mon. 11 am, 3 pm

Tue. 12 & 4 pm

Wed. 11 am, 7 pm

Thu. 8 am, 4 pm

Fri. 6 am, 2, 6, 10 pm

Sat. 9 am, 9 pm

Sun. 8 am, 12 pm

Comcast Customers Only - Additional viewing times on Public Service Channel 18
October 15 and 16 at 9am, 12pm, 3pm, 6pm

Nov 5 and 6 at 8am, 12:30pm, 5pm NEW TIMES

Dearborn Forum this Tuesday, Oct 4.

Attend our next forum in Dearborn's Council Chambers this week. Tuesday evening, October 4th, we will have a school board candidates forum at 7pm and presentations about the 3 millage proposals at 8pm.

Dearborn School Board – Elect 2 of 4

Stephen Stanley Dobkowski Jr.

Joseph A. Guido

Roxanne McDonald

Mary K. Petlichkoff

Proposal 1 OPERATING MILLAGE:

The City of Dearborn has cut 35% of its non-Police and Fire workforce and reduced spending by $12 million annually. Lower tax revenues will require more reductions and impact services and programs further. An additional 5-year millage will allow Dearborn to maintain core services while permanently reducing operating costs.

Shall Section 13.2 of the Dearborn City Charter be amended to temporarily allow the City to levy an additional ad valorem tax up to $3.50 per $1,000 in taxable value (3.5 mills) which will raise approximately $12,250,000 in the first year it is levied, for no more than 5 years?

YES or NO

Proposal 2 LIBRARY MILLAGE:

State law allows citizens to authorize that 1 mill be dedicated to offset the costs of providing library services. Due to declining revenues, library services have been reduced. Additional revenues will be used to support greater technology so that the City of Dearborn can provide effective and efficient access to informational, developmental, and entertainment-oriented materials in order to meet current and future user demands.

Shall the City of Dearborn in accordance with State law MCL § 397.201 levy an additional ad valorem tax in an amount not to exceed $1 per $1,000 in taxable value which equals 1 mill or approximately $3,500,000 in the first year it is levied for no more than 10 years dedicated to fund the ongoing operational and capital costs of a library system?

YES or NO

Proposal 3 ELIMINATION OF THE CIVIL SERVICE SYSTEM:

The Civil Service System as defined in Chapter 11 of the Dearborn City Charter was created before City employees formed 8 different labor unions to represent them in negotiating contracts covering wages, benefits, and work rules. The provisions in these contracts take precedence over Civil Service policies. Dearborn is one of a few Michigan cities that still has a Civil Service System. If necessary, the City Council could create a Human Resources Commission by ordinance to oversee any employment issues for City employees.

Shall the Dearborn City Charter be amended to eliminate the Civil Service System by repealing Chapter 11?

YES or NO

Dearborn Heights Candidate Forum Sept. 28

On Wednesday, September 28, candidates for the Dearborn Heights City Clerk, City Council, and the District 7 School Board will participate in a forum hosted by the League of Women Voters of Dearborn – Dearborn Heights.

The evening will begin with an explanation of the one ballot proposal on the November 8 General Election in Dearborn Heights, the Headlee Override Millage Proposal. Speaking will be Eric Lupher, Director of Local Affairs for the Citizens Research Council of Michigan, who will give a broad overview of what the Headlee Amendment is and what an override means, and Daniel Paletko, Mayor of Dearborn Heights. This portion will be held from 6:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

At 7 p.m. the candidates for City Clerk, Janet S. Badalow and Walter J.Prusiewicz, will participate in a 30-minute forum. There will be an opportunity for written questions from the audience, asked by the moderator, Jenni Dunn, a member of the League.

The City Council candidate forum will be held immediately following, at approximately 7:30 p.m. There are 5 people running for 3 openings. It is scheduled to last 1-hour and there will be an opportunity for written questions from the audience, asked by the moderator.

At approximately 8:30 p.m. the candidates for the District 7 School Board will participate in a forum scheduled to last for one hour. There are 4 candidates running for 2 positions on the school board.

The forum will be held in the City Council Chambers at the Dearborn Heights City Hall, 6045 Fenton. The public is invited to attend.

In addition to the moderator, Jenni Dunn, the president of the League of Women Voters, Mary Bugeia will welcome the speakers, candidates, and members of the audience. The evening will be videotaped by WDHT for rebroadcast on local access government cable television channels on WOW, Comcast and AT&T.

Betsy Cushman chairs the Voters Service Committee. Members include Chris Sullivan, Dennis Kirchoff, Joe Borrajo, Judy Carty, Judy Patrick, Mary Bugeia, Carolyn Buell, Barb Adams, Jenni Dunn and Kathy Gapa.

Bullets and Ballots - Remember Sept 11th

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was home with 3 children as we watched the videos from New York and worried about what’s next. The screen presents fiction more often than facts, so it took awhile to understand the reality of this attack. Meanwhile many had to leave the TV and take care of the day’s work. On that day, election workers were handling Dearborn’s Mayoral Primary. Sometime later I was in the voting booth when my husband called with alarm. He had heard a radio report about rioting in Dearborn and worried about our safety.

The fear from that day has echoed through the years with a patriotic fervor and a decade of war, but I wonder why the pledges of patriotism haven’t produced civic engagement. Voter turnout is embarrassingly low for a nation so proud of its legacy. At great risk others demand a voice in dictatorial nations, while we dismiss our own democratic process.

Proponents of 2nd amendment rights tout the value of a well-armed citizenry to protect against tyranny, but I’d like to call on a well-informed citizenry to practice democracy. Sergeant Molly carried the water and loaded the cannon because she had no other recourse for liberty. Now she has the right to vote so that her first line of defense is the ballot box. Hold the line with this basic right and restore voter turnout as a patriotic duty.

LWV began 90 years ago to arm new voters with information about candidates and issues. Our heritage continues with a busy Voter Service Committee, a League hallmark in our own community for 60 years. Candidates and voters are urged to participate fully in the campaign process and on election day. One vote can sometimes make a difference, but when the majority of potential voters sit it out, do you wonder that a motivated minority gets more of a say? From one election to the next, we have basically told candidates to “call someone who cares”, so they do. What will our city and nation be like 10 years from today if we amped up our fervor for making democracy work at home? Let’s find out.

By Jenni Dunn

Does city government matter to you?

The turnout for the recent primary election in Dearborn Heights should be cause for concern to every person in the city. With 37,000 registered voters, only 3,510 voted on August 2nd. Primary elections are the first and most important step in the election process. It is the first opportunity to make your opinion count. If you don’t vote in the primary then you may lose your chance to vote for your choice in the general election.

The League of Women Voters has always believed in the importance of primary elections and that is why, in the recent election, the Dearborn – Dearborn Heights League of Women Voters spent time and money to put on a candidate forum and to publish a Voter Guide. We would like to thank all the candidates for their participation and for their active involvement in this democratic process.

We also would like to remind all registered voters that democracy is not a spectator sport.

You cannot sit on the sidelines and expect your voice to be heard.

Local government is the where our democracy begins. Many people today complain that government doesn’t listen to them. But local government is where it starts. This is where your voice can most readily be heard. The office of City Clerk oversees elections and protects our rights in the voting process. If you didn’t vote in this election ask yourself why. What is more important than protecting our rights as citizens.

Throughout the world today we see people dying for the rights that we take for granted.

The League of Women Voters, as a non-partisan organization, asks Dearborn Heights citizens, as well as area citizens, to participate with us in finding ways to increase voter interest and participation. As a community, together, we can learn from this poor turnout and become engaged citizens.


Mary Bugeia, President, League of Women Voters Dearborn – Dearborn Heights

Voter Guides for Nov 2

Because our cities are divided into different districts, you may not know who you are to choose from. For example, Dearborn Hts voters might be confused about their state rep district, is it #16 or 17?

Go here to see your exact ballot listing - www.publius.org – and enter your name and city.

Dearborn voters addendum - check your ballot and district in case you are in this district rather than the 15th Congressional District:

Candidates for the Congressional 14th District Representative
Don Ukrainec - Republican
John Conyers Jr. - Democratic
Marc J. Sosnowski - U.S. Taxpayers
Richard J. Secula - Libertarian

Non-partisan candidate Q&A for your community and all proposals are included in the LWVDDH publications below:

Dearborn voters click here:

www.lwvddh.org/voterguide_D.pdf

Dearborn Heights voters click here:

www.lwvddh.org/voterguide_DH.pdf

For Congressional and statewide offices (Governor, Secretary of State, Attorney General, University leadership and judicial positions). Because of the number of congressional districts, this is a 2 part document.

Pages 1-16 (Governor, SOS, AG to District 1- 9)

http://www.lwvmi.org/documents/LWV2010p1-16.pdf

Pages 17-32 (District 10-15, State Board, University and Judicial offices)

http://www.lwvmi.org/documents/LWV2010p17-32.pdf

Although some are discouraged, some are frustrated, and many are apathetic, being able to vote is a hard-won and highly important citizenship right and duty. Voting Day is November 2 for all those able to get to the polls on that day. Until then, go to the City Clerk's office anytime to vote absentee ballot.

Statewide Primary Voter Guides are HERE!

Read the LWVMI Voter Guide for Michigan Governor.

See your local and state-wide candidates in one combined voter guide.

Dearborn Hts Voters

Dearborn Voters

To determine your specific district and candidate listing, and proposals that will be on your ballot, got to Michigan's SOS page


Voters not in Dearborn or Dearborn Hts areas can find their voter guides here:LWVMI 2010 Voter Guides posted online for Michigan voters.

Voting and Equality...LWV turns 90 next year

Next year will be the 90^th anniversary of the formation of the League of Women Voters. On February 14, 1920, with passage of the 19^th amendment imminent, suffragists met to transform the movement into the LWV to help educate women to be responsible voters. On August 26, 1920, just days after Tennessee became the thirty-sixth (and last needed) state to ratify the amendment, the Secretary of State signed the proclamation enacting the 19^th amendment giving women the right to vote

Because of this important history, next year, the LWV should plan to celebrate our ‘90^th birthday’ on February 14 and continue the celebration to August 26, the 90^th anniversary of “Women’s Equality Day” with passage of the 19^th amendment.

Elizabeth Cady Stanton and others first seriously proposed women’s right to vote at Seneca Falls, N.Y., on July 19, 1848. Prior to this time, Susan B. Anthony was active in the women’s temperance movement. But when she met Stanton in 1851, they joined forces and worked together over the next half of the century – and what a force they were. Although they both died before the goal was reached, they lived long enough to see significant progress and were primarily responsible for the ultimate success. Carrie Chapman Catt, founder and early leader of the League of Women Voters, younger than Anthony and Stanton, entered the struggle later and became a leader in the suffragist movement that helped lead it to victory with passage of the 19^th amendment.

The sacrifices these three made to win the right to vote for women is amazing and one that few people recognize today. In most cases, they gave their lives to the movement. Becoming public advocates meant that they were playing unconventional, unacceptable, inappropriate roles – to many they were pariahs. It is impossible to conceive of how difficult their lives were, what hardships they endured – public ridicule, terms in jail, and humiliation.

Text taken from League of Women Voters of United States. lwv.org – ‘Women’s Equality Day”

Let’s think of ways we can retell the story next year. Who wants to be on this committee?

Dearborn Ballot and Candidate Forums on CDTV

CANDIDATE FORUMS & BALLOT PROPOSAL now showing on local access channels,

Comcast 12, Wide Open West 10.

Dearborn Heights City Council candidate forum will be shown at 11:30am and 5:30pm

Dearborn School Board candidates & ballot proposal:

>>MWF – 7AM, 3PM, 11PM;

>>T &TH – Noon and 8PM;

>>SAT & SUN – 1AM, 9AM, 5PM.

Dearborn City Council candidates:

>>MWF – 2:30 AM, 10:30AM, 6:30PM;
>>T & TH – 7:30 AM & 3:30 PM;

>>Sat & SUN – 4:30AM, 12:30PM & 8:30PM

Voter Guides issued by the League of Women Voters are available at libraries and the City Clerk's offices.

Stay tuned for viewing times for the Oct 13th LWV Dearborn Mayoral Candidate Forum.

HFCC Student Convention Oct 16th

HFCC and League host 6th Annual Michigan Student Political Issues Convention – Civic Action Project
HFCC in conjunction with the League of Women Voters Dearborn-Dearborn Heights is hosting the 6th Annual Michigan Student Political Issues Convention on Friday October 16, 2009 from 9:30 AM to 1:30 PM on the college's main campus, located at 5101 Evergreen Road in Dearborn. Hundreds of students are expected to attend the political forum from colleges and universities in southeastern Michigan.

Distinguished panelists include State Senator Irma Clark-Coleman, Mayors J. O'Reilly and D. Paletko, State Representatives G. Polidori and G. Cushingberry and A. Meisner, Treasurer Oakland County.

The programs purpose is to empower young people with the knowledge and skills to become politically engaged. The Civic Action Project at Henry Ford Community College is integrated into higher education courses helping build responsible, effective and informed citizens in the world. The key to the program is activities that allow students to develop a unified voice on an issues agenda of their choosing.

The convention includes an interactive local leaders' panel where leaders are invited to hear students concerns and respond to them. Followed by concurrent workshops developed by students which may include: jobs, economy, healthcare, alternative energy, global warming, overpopulation, unemployment, education and violence. To develop a final agenda, the students work together researching issues, learning about compromise and empathy in the act of limiting their agenda to certain issues. Finally, they request local leaders take action on specific issues which fall within their realm of influence.

"The key to this program are activities which allow students to develop a unified voice on an issues agenda of their choosing," indicates Professor A. Perry of HFCC.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization which encourages informed and active participation in government, works to increase understanding of major public policy issues, and influences public policy through education and advocacy.