The US District Court has ruled that Michigan's congressional and legislative maps are unconstitutionally gerrymandered, ordering the state Legislature to redraw at least 34 districts for the 2020 election.

Stateside's conversation with Zoe Clark and Zach Gorchow

Listen above to hear Stateside's conversation about the political ramifications of the federal court's decision with Michigan Radio's Zoe Clark and Zach Gorchow, editor of Gongwer News Service.

The Legislature and governor have to come up with new political lines for the U.S. House, state Senate, and state House districts by August.

To support more reporting like this, consider giving to Michigan Radio today.

The court opinion states, "This court joins the growing chorus of federal courts that have, in recent years, held that partisan gerrymandering is unconstitutional.”

The court further stated:

"The constitutional violations in this case are particularly severe. Evidence from numerous sources demonstrates that the map-drawers and legislators designed the Enacted Plan with the specific intent to discriminate against Democratic voters. A wide breadth of statistical evidence indicates that the Enacted Plan’s partisan bias has proven severe and durable; it has strongly advantaged Republicans and disadvantaged Democrats for eight years and across four separate election cycles."

The League of Women Voters of Michigan sued the state. They said Republicans had drawn political district lines to disadvantage Democrats. The court agreed. It said 27 of 34 challenged districts diluted the weight of people’s votes. And that every challenged district is unconstitutional.

The judges say the maps drawn by Republicans in 2011 violate Democratic voters' constitutional rights, including by diluting the weight of their votes. They are giving the GOP-led Legislature until Aug. 1 to submit new maps. The new maps would need the signature of Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. And if the Republican-led Legislature and Democratic governor can’t come to a fair consensus – then the court will draw new maps itself.

The decision issued Thursday also requires special state Senate elections to be held in 2020, instead of 2022 as scheduled.