eMacomb - Progress Through Partnerships, Summer 2011

Redistricting efforts

Macomb County Planning and Economic Development provides analytic and mapping support for 2011 Board of Commissioners redistricting efforts

For more than 40 years, the Department of Planning and Economic Development has been a regional data distribution partner for the U.S. Census Bureau’s Decennial Census program. As a result of this partnership, department staff has become proficient in quantifying and analyzing the demographic, housing and income data generated by the Census Bureau. Recognizing this proficiency, the Macomb County Apportionment Board requested department staff to provide population and geographic analysis for each of the submitted 2011 Board of Commissioners redistricting proposals.

Beginning in April, the County Apportionment Board, comprised of the County Clerk, Prosecuting Attorney, Treasurer and local Democratic and Republican party chairs began the process of redrawing the boundaries for the thirteen county commissioner districts. Following state legislative guidelines which outline the process for redrawing districts, the Commission opened a window (April 1 – May 27) for plans to be submitted by members of each political party and the general population. During this time five plans were submitted to the Committee for their consideration. The submitted plans were delivered to department staff with the request that they be analyzed to determine if they met the basic requirements of the state legislation governing the establishment of county commissioner districts.

Each of the submitted plans was analyzed to determine whether the districts met the population requirements and to validate the written descriptions for each district proposed. State legislation requires that the population for each district be evenly distributed with a ±6% variance and the geometry of the districts to be as square and compact as possible without creating any islands or disjoined voting areas. In the case of Macomb County with a 2010 population of 840,978 and 13 commissioner districts, the acceptable population range for each district was between 60,821 to 68,540 persons. Additionally, the legislation requires submitted district plans to also be analyzed geographically to identify the number of city and township splits and local voting precinct splits.

Five unique plans were submitted to the commission by the May 27th deadline. Of these plans, only two met the population requirements set forth in the legislation. Both plans introduced four city splits and three township splits. Neither of the two plans introduced any local voting district splits.

On Friday June 3rd the Macomb County Apportionment Committee selected and finalized a plan. This districting plan and its associated map can be reviewed by visiting the Macomb County Clerks Elections Department website.

To view a map of the new plan, click here.