LANSING, Mich. (Michigan News Source) – After three members of the Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission resigned ahead of the new year, the commission chose their replacements on Wednesday.
Who are the replacements?
A random lottery process selected Elaine Andrade, Donna Callaghan, and Marcus Muldoon. Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson’s office oversaw the process.
MORE NEWS: Will Kamala’s Hustle for Michigan’s Black Vote Be Enough to Close the Deal?
Unless these three individuals don’t accept the position, they will join the commission and share in the responsibility of helping to redraw 13 Michigan districts, per a federal judges’ ruling.
Why were new members chosen?
Muldoon was chosen from the remaining pool of qualified 54 Republican candidates originally considered in 2020 when the commission first formed. Andrade and Callaghan were selected from the semifinalist pool of 52 Democrat candidates considered in the same year.
Andrade in her application from 2020 detailed why she ran for the position.
“Recent events at the national level have forced me to align with the Democratic Party in the hopes of preserving our democratic way of life,” Andrade wrote in her February 2020 application.
She added: “The Michigan Independent Citizens Redistricting Commission is our opportunity to get back to the constitutional ideals of democratic representation of the citizens of Michigan.
Similarly, Callaghan, of Farmington Hills, shared in application the necessity of citizen input for a “well functioning democracy.”
MORE NEWS: Detroit Settles with Police and Fire Pension Board on 30-Year Plan for Deferred Payments
“I am excited about this historic opportunity to collaborate with other Michigan citizens to create fair, representative districts,” Callaghan said in her 2020 application.
What’s next for the commission?
The commission charged with redrawing the district boundaries for the various Michigan state and national offices, lost Republican Douglas Clark and Democrat, MC Rothhorn in December. Clark and former Democrat member Dustin Witjes, who recently resigned, were living out of state while still serving. They received stipends for their presence on the commission.
According to documents regarding the commission, commissioners are required to attend monthly meetings and according to the Michigan Constitution requires that “commissioners receive compensation equal to 25 percent of the Governor’s salary, which amounts to approximately $40,000.”
Leave a Comment
COMMENTS POLICY: We have no tolerance for messages of violence, racism, vulgarity, obscenity or other such discourteous behavior. Thank you for contributing to a respectful and useful online dialogue.