Proposed Redistricting Plan Won't Affect Ferndale in Lansing

The proposed redistricting plan released by the Republicans last week is expected to have little effect on Ferndale.

Ferndale's legislators, state Rep. Ellen Cogen-Lipton (D-Huntington Woods) and state Sen. Vincent Gregory (D-Southfield), are proposed to stay the same.

Gregory, who represents the 14th District, which includes Ferndale, said the Republican Senate proposal removes Southfield Township, Beverly Hills, Franklin and Bingham Farms and adds Madison Heights to his district.

"Eighty percent of the district remains the same. So, for me, that proposal is not a problem at all," he said, adding that his district would gain population under the proposal.

Gregory said he expects the Democrats to release their proposal this week.
"The Republicans have the votes, so their map will probably be approved," he said.

For Cogen-Lipton, who represents the 27th District, which also includes Ferndale, would gain all of Oak Park, most of which she already serves. She would assume the territory from Rudy Hobbs, D-Lathrup Village.

The only change could come in the August primary, pitting U.S. Reps. Sander Levin (D-12) and Gary Peters (D-9) against each other.

The Republican plan moves Levin into Peters' territory, making up all of District 9, which means they would have to campaign against each other in August.

District 9 would include Royal Oak, Ferndale, Berkley, Huntington Woods, and Bloomfield Township.

Redistricting is a result of Michigan's decline in population, as reported by the 2010 US Census. The decline means that Michigan must reduce house seats from 15 to 14.

The two Democrats issued a joint statement on Friday after the proposed maps were unveiled.

“Voters in Michigan have never before faced such a shamelessly partisan redrawing of congressional boundaries," the statement read. "Instead of drawing fair lines that follow community and county borders in a logical way, the Republican legislature has drafted a map so skewed that it exploits every trick in the book to gerrymander districts in ways that benefit Republican incumbents."

The statement goes on to say that the legislature and Gov. Snyder should "reject this gerrymandered map and draw congressional boundaries in a way that puts Michigan voters’ interests squarely ahead of flagrant partisan advantage.”

Ten years ago when the 16th and 15th districts were merged, Reps. Lynn Rivers and John Dingell – two Democrats – were forced to fight for the same seat.

"Redistricting in Michigan is a very political process," Lipton said. "We can stand to reason that the party in power will redraw them to benefit that political party."

Republicans have control of both the house and senate.

Lipton said that she doesn't anticipate the Republicans drawing district that are competitive or beneficial for the communities.

"I fully expect the (redistricting plan) to benefit the party in control," she said, "and not be highly competitive."

Districts are based on population. The idea of redistricting is to equalize population. Lipton said her districts are based on a population of about 89,000. Adding that the number has a 5 percent margin for increasing or decreasing populations to best fit the district.

"We didn't see a ton of population shift, a little – but not like Detroit," Lipton said. "We've been relatively static so I wasn't expecting too many changes."

House Bill 4780: An act to divide the state into 14 congressional districts

House Bill 4779: "An act to divide this state into 110 representative and 38 senatorial districts"

Pete Lund sponsored both bills.

The House Committee on Redistricting and Elections will take it up on Tuesday.