The Mitten Memo. A blog by Nick Krieger. It’s the first day of summer, and school policy is probably the furthest thing from your mind. Instead, you’re probably thinking about barbeques and vacation plans. Maybe you’re also wondering whether Lake Michigan will get warm enough to swim in this year. But a well-funded movement is gaining steam all across…
The Mitten Memo. A blog by Nick Krieger. See part 1 here See part 2 here Michigan’s bipartisan apportionment commission had proven itself unable to effectively redistrict the Michigan Legislature. The eight commissioners had regularly split along party lines. Each time this happened, the matter had ended up before the Michigan Supreme Court for resolution. Predictably, the apportionment commission deadlocked…
The Mitten Memo. A blog by Nick Krieger. See Part 1 here. In May 1964, the Michigan Supreme Court had ordered the bipartisan apportionment commission to adopt the legislative redistricting plan proposed by Commissioner William F. Hanna of Muskegon (later an Oceana County Prosecuting Attorney), finding that it most closely followed the requirements of the new state constitution. To…
The Mitten Memo. A blog by Nick Krieger. At one time, legislative districts in many states—particularly state senate districts—were apportioned principally on the basis of geography rather than population. In some states, every county was entitled to elect a certain number of state representatives or state senators, regardless of the county’s population. This often resulted in extremely unequal representation. For…
The Mitten Memo. A blog by Nick Krieger. Lansing has been abuzz with speculation about the political future of State Senator Virgil Smith, Jr. (D-Detroit). In the early morning hours of Sunday, May 10, Smith allegedly fired several shots at his ex-wife, Anistia Thomas, outside his home at 18601 Wexford Street in Detroit. Thomas claims that she was invited to…
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