How well can ordinary citizens exercise a political function traditionally assigned to elected legislators?
Michigan is finding out. The state has assigned the job of drawing election districts to a group of citizens with no special qualifications. Selecting government officials by lot is a procedure first employed in Athens 2,500 years ago. This experiment has produced dramatic results – as well as a court challenge.
The Michigan experiment marks a departure from how redistricting has usually been done.
Every 10 years, after the U.S. Census Bureau determines how many members of the House of Representatives are allocated to each state, the states redraw the geographical districts from which members of the House, as well as members of the state legislature, are elected. Historically, state legislatures have been responsible for making these maps.
But throughout U.S. history, the redistricting process has been marred by partisan gerrymandering – drawing election districts to favor the political party that controls the state legislature.
Gerrymandering has often been challenged in court as a violation of the Constitution’s equal protection clause and on other grounds. But in 2019, the U.S. Supreme Court held that federal courts may not hear claims of partisan gerrymandering because they represent a “political question” that is unsuited for resolution by the courts.
The high court held that such issues should instead be resolved by the legislative and executive branches of government.
Eight states have withdrawn the authority to draw election districts from legislatures and assigned it to independent commissions. The procedures for selecting the members of these commissions vary, but in most states they are chosen by state legislators or judges.
Unlike any other state, Michigan selected its 13 commission members almost entirely by lot from among those who applied for the position.
All Michigan registered voters who met the eligibility criteria, which excluded holders of political office and lobbyists, were eligible to apply.
From 9,367 applicants, the Michigan secretary of state randomly selected 200 semifinalists. The process resulted in 60 Democrats, 60 Republicans and 80 independents. Following the procedure established by the ballot initiative, the four leaders of the Michigan Legislature then eliminated 20 of those semifinalists.
In August 2020, the secretary of state randomly selected the 13 commissioners from the remaining pool of 180 candidates – four Democrats, four Republicans and five independents, as required.
In a process completed in December 2021, the commission – made up of citizens with no special qualifications for the office – created election districts that were used to elect officials to the Michigan Legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2022 election cycle.
Random selection in ancient Athens
How well can ordinary citizens exercise a political function traditionally assigned to elected legislators?
Michigan is finding out. The state has assigned the job of drawing election districts to a group of citizens with no special qualifications. Selecting government officials by lot is a procedure first employed in Athens 2,500 years ago. This experiment has produced dramatic results – as well as a court challenge.
The Michigan experiment marks a departure from how redistricting has usually been done.
Every 10 years, after the U.S. Census Bureau determines how many members of the House of Representatives are allocated to each state, the states redraw the geographical districts from which members of the House, as well as members of the state legislature, are elected. Historically, state legislatures have been responsible for making these maps.
Tanzanian police arrested two opposition leaders again on Monday, their party and police said, to stop anti-government protests in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam.
India has invited political and military opponents of Myanmar's ruling junta to attend a seminar in New Delhi, sources said, a significant move by the South