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New ballot committee looking to amend state Constitution

Posted at 3:13 PM, Feb 24, 2017
and last updated 2017-02-24 15:15:20-05

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A new group aims to get support for a constitutional amendment that would change how Michigan draws legislative and congressional district lines.

The nonpartisan Voters Not Politicians group wants to amend the constitution to change the redistricting process and create an independent Citizens’ Redistricting Commission that would redraw district lines.

Committee spokesperson Katie Fahey says the group plans to hold town halls across the state in Alpena, Detroit and Petoskey to get feedback from residents on what they would like to see in a ballot referendum.

Fahey says the language would stress representation of minority communities and having districts be compact and contiguous.

Republicans controlled the redistricting process after the 2010 census. They have a majority in the state House and Senate, as well as most state congressional seats.