This is a ridiculous mapping. What does Downriver have in common with the east side of Detroit. What is the matter with you people.

As with Apple map, this map does not keep Jackson county whole. Combining areas like Waterloo Township with Ann Arbor, areas with no common community interests,. deprives the people in this rural area of their representation through shear numbers.

Jackson is a vibrant and diverse community and should align with our communities along the the I-94 Corridor and neighbors Grass Lake, Chelsea and Ann Arbor.

This district excludes Flint which I think should be included in the Community of Interest of Midland/Saginaw/Bay City as the urban/suburban core of Mid-Michigan. It dilutes the minority voters of Saginaw and is further from being a zero political bias map. The Tri-Cities and Flint should be in the same congressional district.

"Independent Commission" , you are suppose to have open meetings to the public. Why are you having closed meetings? What information are you hiding. Should you be disbanded?

Please move the prison population to an overpopulated district to address prison gerrymandering.

Please move the prison population to an overpopulated district to address prison gerrymandering.

District 5 looks like it was drawn by the sitting Congressman Tim Walberg. Its totally safe and will subject the district to more of the same representation we have now which ignores 1/2 his constituents. I worry the current Congressman who will feel embolden to do whatever he wants without any voter controls.

this map doesn't make sense to me as the Tri Cities have nothing at all in common with the central and rural areas west of Midland that stretch all the way to Lake Michigan. The Tri Cities belong in a district with Flint and these rural areas deserve to be with their own COI for adequate representation

Districts 10, 11 and 12 are disenfranchising voters. District 10 disenfranchising the Arab community. District 11 and 12 disenfranchises the Chaldean and Asian communities. SE MI region in this map needs to be redone. Please take a look at this map based on Birch: https://districtr.org/plan/70686

What was the commitee drinking when they did this in District 10? Time to go back to the drawing board. I want to see at least one district with a black majority in Detroit but this is not how to get there.

Why does the Downriver area always become the area of slicing and dicing and combination with Detroit when the area has a southern connection along the I-75 with Monroe County.

Sterling heights doesnt belong with Detroit.

Not sure what constituent interests the rural residents on the far west side of the state have with the much large larger urbanized communities on the eastern boarders of this (# 243) map. The only current commonality between those living in Wexford County and and those residing in Bay, Genesee, Midland and Saginaw counties is the current congressional satellite office in Cadillac.

While this map (#243) keeps the Tri-Cities together, it binds that clearly urban/suburban population with the decidedly rural population all the way to the Lake Michigan shoreline. There is a clear disadvantage to both of these sharing a single representative with such divergent interests. All those comments about sharing watershed are ignoring the fact that our watershed is the Saginaw Bay watershed. The Tri-Cities would do better combined with Flint, another large urban population with shared interests. This is not a good map for us.

As a resident of Bay City, this map doesn't make much sense to me. There is little interaction with our area and the center and west Michigan to the tri-cities. Keep the I-75 corridor together instead. Flint should be included in our district instead.

I strongly agree those who have commented on Berrien County and a southwestern Michigan community of interest. This map is the worst of the all. We are are to be lumped with distant Jackson and Monroe as the only "urban" centers in this district, rather than Kalamazoo? Ridiculous.

All of Kent County should be in the same district along with Ionia and most of Montcalm to achieve a population of 775,000.

This map should not be considered. Kent CO should not be in the same district with Portland, MI and parts of Ingham CO far to the east in Rural areas. The only good thing about this map is it keeps Kent CO whole.

I don't know what you were thinking with this map. Kent County and Shiawassee County have absolutely zero in common. I highly disapprove.

As a life long Genesee County resident I'm disappointed that the city of Fenton has been cut off. We don't belong in the district with Ypsilanti.

Use geography to create districts not gerrymandering.

District 5 makes no sense it is way to wide and poor representation area, District 10 has a districted carved out right of the middle but why?

Although this map keeps Bay City, Midland and Saginaw together it leaves out Flint, a vital member of our COI. There are only 4 urban/suburban cities in the Mid-Michigan area so why leave Flint out? This maps also disempowers the voices of minority/BIPOC people in our COI. Unacceptable. Please continue the Commission's work towards fairly drawn districts.

Please do not dilute the interests of the Tri-Cities by including them with so many rural counties. Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw share many interests and industries with the Flint area. A map that keeps these mid-sized cites together, along with as much of their counties as possible, would achieve a more competitive district and much better representation for voters.

While this map does contain the Tri-Cities, it lumps them together with rural areas with whom only Midland County has anything in common. Flint is eliminated from our Congressional District. This is terrible. Flint needs to be with the Tri-Cities and such surrounding suburbs as population allows. The commonalities of these communities has been enumerated by many comments. Please do not use this map 243. Thank you for your efforts and for keeping tri-Cities together in your maps.

I drafted a district maps that represents the Chaldean community. We stretch from Macomb all the way to the outskirts of Wixom! We are around 160,000 people in Metro detroit area alone and growing! Please use either district map: https://districtr.org/plan/68270 or https://districtr.org/plan/68275. Please do not dilute our Chaldean voices! We have lived and contributed to MI for over 100 years! Please give a voice! We are a community of interest! Thank you commissioners!

It makes sense to have eastern Ottawa and western Ionia in a district with Kent. These areas have more in common than Kent with Shiawassee or Ottawa with Montcalm and Barry. This map is gerrymandered. I live in the part of Ottawa that would be in district with Kent according to map 240. That part of map 240 is okay, not the whole map.

This is the worst map proposed yet. It gerrymanders districts 11 and 12. It dilutes and cancels Asians, Indians and Middle Eastern voices living in Macomb and Oakland counties. Please do not chose this map!

I'm not a huge fan of this map. Thank you for keeping the towns of Midland/Saginaw/Bay City in the same district. Many people live in one city and work in a different one. As municipalities with a industrial bases, we have many similar interests from public policy. However this map then brings in a large rural area that doesn't make a lot of sense. There is more logic to urban versus rural interests when creating a COI. I also urge you to keep districts competitive from a political party perspective if feasible. Thank you for your work.

I don't like this map. The City of Midland should be included in a Congressional district along with Bay City, Saginaw, and Flint. These cities are the core of Mid-Michigan and a community of interest. The City of Midland needs be included in an area that makes economic and geographic sense! I don't like this map because this district excludes Flint. Please include the Tri-Cities and Flint together in a congressional district as they are more closely aligned economically and geographically.

The Tri-Cities (Bay City/Saginaw/Midland) staying together is great, but it seems like Flint should be included as well. These have always been communities of similar interest as long as I can remember and I would expect an elected official to represent the whole of those communities. Please don't exclude Flint from the Tri-Cities.

The Districts in Lower Michigan make no sense at all 3, 3, 5, 6, I appreciate work I really do but if you have neve worked or lived in the area drafting 20 maps and living in UP . You really have no idea. We do really want partisan fairness right? Please have another hearing down state, very disappointed at people that had to call in and verbally abuse commissioners, we are better than that Thank you

I appreciate the commission continually respecting the COI of the Tri-Cities (Midland, Bay City, Saginaw) but this district excludes Flint. These 4 cities are the only urban/suburban cities in Mid-Michigan and should be included together as they are also a community of interest. This district all dilutes the minority votes of Saginaw in a dangerous way and moves the commission farther from a zero political bias map. Put the Tri-Cities and Flint together in a congressional district. Aligning the Tri-Cities with rural counties all the way to the western shoreline of the State. Representation would favor Lake Michigan Shoreline. The Industrial Tri- Cities/Counties are more closely aligned with Flint/Genesee. I strongly object to this map

I live in Ottawa County and I am okay with combining part of Ottawa with Kent County. How does combining Ottawa with Barry or Montcalm County different? Kent is more similar than those counties. PS, I live in a part that would be combines with Kent in the map Kent, part Ottawa, part Ionia. You can split Ottawa as it is contained logically.

I have watched your process and appreciate it's complexity. This map although combining the Tri-Cities will totally dilute all our urban voices as well as overwhelm the important shoreline and watershed issues. I have not seen the numbers but I doubt the fairness metrics are met by this map. Please keep Midland, Bay City, Saginaw and Flint in a Congressional district as configured in Birch and a number of the collaborative maps. Thank you.

This district has no significant metro area included. It is clearly drawn to assure the 5th District will always and forever be a "safe seat" for Republicans. As such, we will only see the most extreme candidates elected. We need Kalamazoo in the corner district, and maybe even Battle Creek. That district (Kzoo, BC and Lansing) is just the opposite - all urban - all Democratic! The point of this commission is to blend these districts, as best possible, to assure they are competitive - not to carve out "safe seats" for both parties.

Douglas Floto You are MARXIST DICK.

This does not represent COI. County line does not represent COI! Please use COI as a high priority and not county lines. This dilutes our Middle Eastern voices. Troy, Sterling Heights and Rochester belong together. Royal Oak, Ferndale, West Bloomfield should be in a separate district!

In an earlier comment I expressed serious concerns about aligning the tri-Cities with the Thumb. This map generates the same concerns by aligning the Tri-Cities with rural counties all the way to the western shoreline of the State. Representation would favor Lake Michigan Shoreline. The Industrial Tri- Cities/Counties are more closely aligned with Flint/Genesee. I strongly object to this map. Please consider A collaborative map, Birch.

Your idea of putting all of the lower portion on MI together is a horrible one. I cannot fathom why you would do this. I moved here from the Chicago area and this is not representing our district. If anything is together it should be up the coast including Kalamazoo area not accross the bottom of the state. I can assure you that they are entirely different areas and have very little in common, except being along Michigan’s southern border. Did anyone working on this do any research at all about the areas in question? My initial reaction to this is that is an effort at gerrymandering. Actually, if I look at the entire map, it seems to be an effort to stifle the voices of those in less populated areas bu those who live in more urban areas. I think you need to work on this some more.

What on earth is going on in District 10? That split is not acceptable.

Regarding Congressional District 7, please do NOT lump Waterloo Township, Jackson County in with Ann Arbor/Washtenaw County and Brighton/Livingston County. Waterloo Township is VERY rural, and the needs of its citizens are very different from urban dwelling citizens. Please keep Waterloo Township within Jackson County. Please do not divide up counties. Proposed Jackson County maps have 3 districts in them. The end result looks very suspicious as to what your end goal is here.

Your idea of putting all of the lower portion on MI together is a horrible one. I cannot fathom why you would do this. I grew up in SE MI and still have family there. I have lived in SW MI for over 40 years. I can assure you that they are entirely different areas and have very little in common, except being along Michigan’s southern border. Did anyone working on this do any research at all about the areas in question? My initial reaction to this is that is an effort at gerrymandering. Actually, if I look at the entire map, it seems to be an effort to stifle the voices of those in less populated areas bu those who live in more urban areas. I think you need to work on this some more.

I don't understand why you'd put the only 3 cities in with a huge swath of rural area. The Tri-Cities have more in common with Flint that with West Michigan.

This is a bad map. The rural residents in the western part of proposed district 2 have little in common with the communities in the eastern part. Midland, Bay City, Saginaw, and Flint make a more sensible combination.

Map 243 . District 2 lumps together the major cities of midMI (Tri-Cities and Flint) with a large swath of rural areas of MI. But this design does not allow for proper representation of the urban populations. It almost seems as if there was an effort to dilute the voices of the more urban areas and minority folks by including enough rural areas with sufficient populations of rural folks to either match or exceed the urban areas. This looks like gerrymandering in a new shape. Mid-MI urban areas must have their voices heard, keep the Tri-Cities and Flint together, and keep them in a more cohesive and concise district, so their voices are not drowned out by rural populations.

I appreciate the commission continually respecting the COI of the Tri-Cities (Midland, Bay City, Saginaw) but this district excludes Flint. These 4 cities are the only urban/suburban cities in Mid-Michigan and should be included together as they are also a community of interest. This district all dilutes the minority votes of Saginaw in a dangerous way and moves the commission farther from a zero political bias map. Put the Tri-Cities and Flint together in a congressional district.

District 10 and 11 split? The tiny area to the EAST of Detroit included in district 10 but Detroit is not included?

District 9 is not competitive. Stop the gerrymandering.

The Peoples Republic of Michigan approves of this gerrymandered map.

St. Clair Shores should not be included with all of the Thumb. These communities are nowhere similar in makeup, business, and population.

Wow! This map is probably the worst one I've seen in terms of the representation of the City of Pontiac. Pontiac has way more closely aligned interests with the rest of Oakland County, heck it is the county seat and yet we are instead in a mostly rural district that connects with Flint versus Metro Detroit. Please do not consider this map.

I realize that your work is difficult but this map is not good. You've placed three major cities of MidMichigan in a very rural district. Saginaw's minority population will be over ruled by the large white population of this map.

Although this map does keep the Tri-Cities together it lumps them with a very rural area. The Tri-Cities are urban and should be considered as such. This will also wash out the minority vote in Saginaw which is the farthest city north in our state with a lot of minority population.

Thanks for your hard work but this map does not make sense for Midland county. The Midland city concerns align with the Tri-Cities and flint. Good map with the Tri-Cities (Midland, Bay City, Saginaw) and Flint in a congressional district which is good for the common employment interests of the region and the employees that work and live in this district.

Please keep Livingston county and Washtenaw county apart. Politics could not be farther from each other.

There is no reason to overlap districts between Oakland, Macomb and Wayne counties in this way. Please minimize county cross overs. Also, this will keep the African American representation from being lost. Here is my proposal: https://districtr.org/plan/47883

I don't understand how this district was drawn. Warren and Sterling Heights should be together and this is again, too dominated by Wayne county voters.

I messed up my previous comment so here it is corrected: I appreciate the commission continually respecting the Tri-Cities COI in their map creation, but I don't like this district. First, as the only cities even close together, Flint, Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw should be together in a congressional district. There are no other cities that even come close to the populations of these 4 urban/suburban area and we should not be put with northern rural counties.

The 4th District connects Grand Rapids with points much too far to the east for commuting while splitting off many of the bedroom communities nearby. What gives?

I appreciate that the Flint Water Shed is in the same district. However, I'm concerned that taking out Holly from Oakland County, as many people who work in North Oakland County live in Holly (Auburn Hills, Troy), using the I-75 corridor, thus roadways, bridges, water control all need addressed by fellow users. Oakland County Fair grounds is just outside Holly, in Springfield Township and many of the 4 H groups of Northern Oakland County have similar interests and a community. Of the past, district 8 congressionally, did not have citizens who were familiar with the same issues as others, such as water conditions, sewer needs, and the lack of transportation resources. Also, state park land is unique to Northern Oakland County, crossing from Holly and crossing across the northern border which a resource that needs to be valued, built on and supported. One representative familiar with such a resource would be most beneficial. I would suggest swapping Owasso out for Holly. THANK YOU FOR YOUR EFFORTS!!!

I'd like to see Livingston and Ann Arbor / Washtenaw kept separate. This map sort of looks like a power grab of more rural communities for Ann Arbor, who are definitely not cohesive by any means.

I strongly oppose this map as well. It goes against my community of interest and is not fair to the residents of Livingston County. We should not be paired with Ann Arbor; this will be detrimental to the best interests of smaller and more rural areas located within Livingston County. We are diametrically different counties when it comes to our values and way of life, and this particular map is completely unfair to Livingston County so it is out of the question in my opinion. Thank you.

Crazy districts like 10 here are wholly unacceptable in any instance. As Angelo points out everyone will assume "the enemy" is doing this despite facts being freely available to dissuade them from such opinions.

I appreciate the commission continually respecting the Tri-Cities COI in their map creation, but I don't like this district. First, as the only cities even close together, Midland, Bay City, and Saginaw should be together in a congressional district. There are no other cities that even come close to the populations of these 4 urban/suburban area and we should not be put with northern rural counties.

Leonard, Waterford and Clarkston in a district with Flint? Seems a bit absurd.

Throw it out. Gerrymandered!

If the intent is to just split up south Macomb county and have a “unusual” map, this succeeds. I will continue to repeat “keep working!

Idk which of the Democrats drew this map, but holy gerrymandering Batman. Tho this one still doesn't give us one black majority district that people have been crying about.

Alice, both Washtenaw and Livingston should be kept whole and in different districts with a chance at their own fair representation representative of our different cultures. There isn't much middle ground between these two staunchly partisan counties, as shown with the current 22nd St Senate District which gerrymandered your county and Chelsea, Dexter, and Scio Twp especially. Partisan Fairness to me is a 48.5-51.5% D/R district where no voters can be ignored (dismissed due to different party OR taken for granted by same party) and everyone has their say. Swing districts are tough with Michigan geography, and the commission collaboratively has a good one. This however is a 55% district. This is basically the current 22nd State Senate District if it was drawn in reverse, except Livingston County is the reverse Scio Township (family lives there, I know it well). Both communities deserve their own representation, and not at the expense of the other community. I'm happy with the collaborative 5th District, or Eid's individual version of it (even better if Lyndon Twp goes back with Chelsea where it belongs). Witjes version I have mixed opinions dropping 1/2 of Clinton County for Barry County, but respect that it keeps Ottawa County whole based on the public comments there. In this district, Livingston doesn't have a say and can be ignored as this is a 55% district. In the current 8th, nobody can be ignored. In the new 5th Draft, nobody can be ignored. That's how it should be.

The City of Jackson is not rural, and is not a border community. It should be included in the orange district and not the yellow one.

I'm not certain that the split here between districts 10 and 11 is legal. I don't think either district would count as contiguous based on this map.

I strongly oppose this map. Livingston County does not belong with Washtenaw County. This is also a non competitive district where Ann Arbor overwhelms the rural areas. It also splits up the Lansing area, packs Lansing with Kalamazoo (makes no sense), and puts Shiawassee with Grand Rapids 100+ miles away on the other side of the state.