The southwestern part of this district has nothing in common with the rest of the district. The needs of the residents in my area will be ignored. This part of the district should be coupled with other southern portions of Oakland county. Commonality among southeastern Michigan residents tend to go in east to west bands rather than south to north bands.

Keep Midland County whole

Why pull just the city of Midland out of Midland county? Why carve up Saginaw and Bay counties. Keep these cities and counties whole as best as possible. That was part of what the original redistricting commission proposal was based on. This is partisan gerrymandering.

Chestnut is a better option. This map does not keep communities of interest together.

I am very disappointed in the Congressional maps presented. I have to agree with SOOO many people who stated the maps have been gerrymandered to falsely promote “political fairness” while at the same time dismissing “communities of interest”. This experiment in “redistricting” is proving to be a farce. I have to agree with the masses who believe your prioritizing process has been unconstitutional and I hope these maps are challenged in court.

Keep City of Midland with Midland County.

Keep Midland and Gladwin counties together and whole.

This district puts together rural and urban Grand rapids which do not have a community of interest Chestnut does a much better job of keeping urban communities together.

A very bad idea to split the City of Midland from the county. If the commission would put the City of Midland back into the County of Midland, this map could work.

Keep Midland city and county whole and with like communities. Representation voices the community’s needs and isn’t about political correctness or political advantage. This IS NOT a map that joins like communities. Use common sense.

Please keep Midland City with county!

The City of Midland needs to remain with the County of Midland. We are one community of interest.

Bad idea.

Not liking this map

This map is unacceptable

This map dilutes the voices of the largest minority population in West Michigan. Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan and the voters in the metro area will be overshadowed by rural areas that have different needs than the metro area. We also repeatedly heard during public hearings in West Michigan that citizens in rural Ottawa County did not want to be combined with the Grand Rapids metro area. This map is also unfair from a partisan perspective. I urge the commission to reject this map.

I am concerned about this map not representing minority communities in West Michigan. Minority populations are disenfranchised by this map, connecting the Grand Rapids metro area with unrelated rural communities. The big difference in urban and rural needs won't allow for any of us to have fair and effective representation in DC.

This comment and map portal vote is made on behalf of the 725 voices (and still growing) of ‘Gladwin-Midland United’. Since there are no collaborative map choices that reflect the needs of our community of interest, we support the Lange Congressional map; we do not support the Chestnut map; the Birch or the Apple maps. ‘Communities of Interest’ must be given higher weighting than ‘partisan fairness’, per the new constitutional amendment passed in 2018. Our Community of Interest requests that you keep the City of Midland connected to the county of Midland, and the entire county of Midland connected to Gladwin County.

This map does not keep Jackson County together as a community of interest despite the comments made by so many citizens at the public hearings to do so. Please keep to the promises made to us back in 2018 – follow the Communities of Interest submitted by the people of Michigan.

Need to keep Midland with counties to the west and keep it WHOLE.

I strongly disapprove of the Birch map for several reasons, most importantly to me is that it links metro Grand Rapids to the rural counties of Ionia and Ottawa.

The map is good in many parts, that being said. Livonia not a Downriver Community. I Personaly think if you take it towards Canton, Group Downriver Communities in a couple Districts like some one else suggested. It will be better for all . Thank you for al your hard work and letting me have some input. You should be commended foyour efforts!!!!

The only way I would support this map is if it was revised to unify the city of Midland with Midland county. It makes no sense otherwise.

This map breaks up Jackson County which by itself is a Community of interest. Please keep Jackson County intact an undivided.

I dislike this map as it is too divisive, it breaks up Jackson County.

This is a bad map because it combines Midland with Bay City, Saginaw, and Flint. As someone who lives in Midland, travels to Saginaw for work, visits Bay City often, and grew up in Genesee County, there is absolutely nothing in common with these communities and Midland. Midland County deserves to be unified.

Put Midland City with Midland County and its north and west neighbors and this map may be rather good.

This map is unfair.

Downriver and Detroit Suburbs have different issues than Ann Arbor. Redesign this Senate District so Downriver can have it's own Senate Seat and Ann Arbor can have theres.

Midland looks like a poop coming out of Bay City. Um No!

Wow-splitting up Midland and it's outskirts just to get it with Flint, Fenton and other unrelated areas. This is map is even worse than Chestnut which is poor. The Lange map is the best of the congressional maps.

• In this map, the concentration of Democratic voters in Grand Rapids, the second-largest city in Michigan and growing fast, is disenfranchised.

What happened here? These lines are all over the place and are completely incoherent. It almost feels like it was drawn intentionally to stop Muskegon from actually being able to elect candidates who advance our diverse interests. People of color are a community of interest.

Support Chestnut!

This is an unacceptable map for Muskegon. Muskegon needs to have its diverse interests represented. This district is not diverse at all.

This is a bad map for Barry county because it puts it in a district with urban areas. This will prevent our rural interests from actually being represented in Congress.

This map is absurd. The Niles area needs to remain united with the rest of Berrien County on any congressional map. We are similar to St. Joseph-Benton Harbor in diversity, total population, fruit farming, small industry, and share the history of the St. Joseph River valley, the exploration of which dates back to the 1600s. We don't belong with Jackson and Monroe, which are 120-150 miles away.

I don't think this map would be good for the gay community. We deserve a map where we have representatives who will listen to our needs

I prefer the Chestnut plan because it keeps communities of interest together better than Birch or Apple.

The Asian American community of Western Michigan prefers the Chestnut plan

Chestnut is a better map for Ottawa County.

In the Birch map, a NW section of Washtenaw County is quite isolated from the natural county COI and would be better rejoined with Washtenaw.

This is a really bad map from a partisan fairness perspective. You're diluting urban votes to the point of irrelevance.

I support the Chestnut Congressinal Map, the Linden Senate Map, and the Hickory House Map. The Chestnut map in particular seems to be the best for both my home town of Oakland county, but also for Macomb and Wayne Counties as well. It keeps Troy with Oakland County (instead of with Macomb like in Birch) and puts Southfield with it’s more closely aligned and partners in Detroit. This is also good for my orthodontist Jewish community as well, having roots in Oak Park. It also slightly raises the BVAP from 42% to 44% for the two Detroit districts, which I think is more fair for Detroit. I also like how it gives minorities a small voice in west Michigan. This won’t be a large voice, but at least politicians will have to listen to everyone. It also has more competitive seats than Birch or Apple, which will likely lead to less polarized elections. It also has either the best or ties for the best in every objective category. Birch would be me 2nd choice, followed my Apple. For the Senate Map, Linden is a good compromise of the AA area on the other two maps. My preference would be Linden, then Cherry, then Palm. The Palm map isn’t very fair to me objectively . The house maps aren’t great but I like Hickory and Magnolia.

I do not like the Birch V2 congressional map because it does not keep Jackson County whole. Outside the Ann Arbor area is a "rural" community with no city water, no city sewer, no broadband, and no public transportation. Please don't adopt this map. The Chestnut map is much better. Thank you.

Grand Rapids is I believe one of the larger cities in Michigan besides Detroit. The people there will not be represented as this district combines them with a majority of farm area voters in other counties. I am sure these farm townships do not want to be in this district as well. There will be many conflicting priorities for a representative to address. In addition, the seats to vote ratio is not equitable statewide.

This version continues to split up Midland county and the city of midland, and put Midland city in the same district with Flint and Saginaw. Midland city and county are more closely related to counties to the north and west.

You have totally disregarded the request to keep Downriver Communities linked. Allen Park has little in common with Detroit and virtually nothing in common with suburbs to the north. You have totally ignored what locations have in common and have managed to create something which will result in almost guaranteeing that it will require double or triple the effort to get anything accomplished because joint projects and jointly owned entities will have to deal with multiple legislators.

One of the priorities for those of us in Kalamazoo and Calhoun counties, particularly those of us in the urbanized parts of these counties, was to have common congressional representation. We are as closely tied as any communities who are bound together by history and an interstate corridor.

Birch does not reflect communities of interest in Western Michigan at all. Chestnut does a much better job of this.

This map works much like the current map for MI-06. It erases the voice of one of the largest cities in West Michigan - Kalamazoo - by tying the fate of the city to more rural counties, towns, and villages in the surrounding area. The range in incomes, businesses, and major economic issues alone across this geography renders this a seat that will only be able to serve a party-line politician. This map does not undo any of the 2010 gerrymandering that has rendered the west side a Republican stronghold, despite changing demographics - Apple 2.0 is a far more balanced map for our side of the state.

This map is just a bizarre gerrymander of West MI dividing up not only Grand Rapids but Allendale+GVSU, and Ottowa in unnecessary ways just to sabotage minority regions.

This is a bad layout. Lumping these out county rural areas into the same district with Grand Rapids metro areas would misrepresent the interests of both parts of the area.

This map splits up 3 major cities in West Michigan making the cities not having a voice for their area of interest which are very different for rural areas. Keeping the cities together are better maps like in Apple and Chestnut

This map combines rural areas of interest like Ionia county with urban areas of interest like Grand Rapids. These should not be combined. Under the voting rights act splitting up the minority voting population of west michigan is wrong

The Birch map gerrymanders West Michigan into 3 different congressional districts, putting each of the 3 major cities there into separate districts with larger rural populations (here Grand Rapids is combined with rural Ottawa and rural Ionia counties,. This disenfranchises the urban population and large minority population of West Michigan. Rather than creating partisan fairness, this map would again cement 3 Republican districts in West Michigan, perpetuating the kind of gerrymandering we have been trying to get rid of. No to Birch!

The Birch map creates all safe Republican districts in West Michigan. This is how extremists get elected to congress. This map is not fair!

The rural counties of Ottawa and Ionia don't belong with Grand Rapids.

The Birch Map separates the 3 largest cities in West Michigan. This is unfair to city dwellers, and especially to the minority populations in those cities. Chestnut is a much more fair map.

Chestnut does a much better job from a partisan fairness perspective than this map.

Unlike Apple and Chestnut, this map eliminates the voices of minority groups and city dwellers by dividing the 3 major cities of West Michigan into 3 different Congressional districts. This map assures Republican representation in West Michigan, despite being home to the second largest city in the state.

The chestnut map is a clastic example of gerrymandering. T communities who have no common interest are combined into one district. Scattering the Grand rapids vote among Ottawa and Ionia a safe Republican district has ben created and the minority voters in the Grand Rapids region have been effectively disenfranchised

Including rural portions of Ottawa and Ionia with the Grand Rapids metro area make no sense. These are distinct areas with different interests, and it will have the likely effect of marginalizing minority voices.

This map creates all safe-Republican districts in West Michigan. This is not fair from a partisan fairness perspective!

I don't like this map. It mixes downtown people with country people.

This is just being done to gerrymander and try to change what the voters want done for the state. This map isn’t about what is best for Michigan voters. Don’t vote for this map.

Huntington Woods is in Oakland County and belongs with other west of Woodward communities.

Communities of interest are ignored, their is nothing in common between Taylor, and allen park sorry to say but it is true. I do not like going into Talibs district.

City population is not represented in this map. Grand Rapids is a very large city, but the large amount of surrounding rural areas in this district dominate the population. This map is not representative for cities such as Grand Rapids or the state of Michigan in general.

District 10 is looking pretty wonky. Strange shape with 4 border districts

I dislike this map. I encourage you to keep Jackson and Washtenaw counties separate as they are very different in needs and interests.

The western Michigan area contains the only other large city population besides Detroit in Michigan. By combining Grand Rapids with the adjoining rural townships in Kent, Ottawa and Ionia counties, the percentage of rural population is so large that the priority needs of the city will be completely discounted. All the other areas of Michigan are small town/rural so there is no other opportunity to represent city type areas. The city areas of western Michigan deserve representation (over 500,000 people in Grand Rapids and over 200,000 in Kalamazoo). This is the most unfair map for Michigan and western Michigan. Please do not select this map.

I do not like the Birch V2 congressional map. It combines 3 low density Townships in the eastern portion of Jackson County with Washtenaw County. These 3 Jackson County Townships are very rural communities with almost no city services (water, sewer, broadband, public transportation, etc). Ann Arbor and large portions of Washtenaw County have all of these things. If this map were to be used, these Townships would not have a voice in Congress. Please don't adopt this map. The Chestnut map is much better. Thank you.

Looks like district 3 was drawn with the only consideration to keep the area geographically compact, but ignore communities of common interests. Grand Rapids has significant industry, business, higher education and medical activity. Being the second largest city in Michigan, it has problems/needs consistent with metropolitan areas. Combining a significant rural population in adjacent counties does not support or compliment this community. Both Apple V2 and Chestnut maps respect the community of interest aspect much better.

Grand Rapids, the second largest city in Michigan, is not represented because it is grouped with rural areas. This map does not have districts that represent communities of interest with like issues, needs and wants. This map is unfair statewide.

I do not like the Birch V2 congressional map because it does not keep Jackson County whole.

Muskegon is diverse and urban, it doesn't belong in this district.

As a resident of Saugatuck, I oppose this map!

This map dilutes Latinos in Muskegon

There is a clear north-south split in Ottawa but the way it's split here makes no sense and doesn't capture this.

Muskegon is a very diverse area and should be in a diverse district. Thank you.

Black and Hispanic communities are opposed to this map.

This is a terrible map that disenfranchises our African American families in the Muskegon area. We have are distinct from the rural townships which are mostly White in this district. It makes much more sense to keep us connected to other African Americans in the Grand Rapids area like in Chestnut.

The Birch V2 congressional map is NOT good because it does not keep Jackson County whole. It combines the eastern portion of Jackson County, including Waterloo Township, with Washtenaw county. Waterloo Township is a very rural community with no city water, no city sewer, no broadband, and no public transportation. Ann Arbor has all of these things. If this map were to be used, Waterloo Township would not have a voice in Congress. Please don't adopt this map. The Chestnut Map is a much better Map. Thank you

I do not like the Birch V2 congressional map because it does not keep Jackson County whole. It combines the eastern portion of Jackson County, including Waterloo Township, with Washtenaw county. Waterloo Township is a very rural community with no city water, no city sewer, no broadband, and no public transportation. Ann Arbor has all of these things. If this map were to be used, Waterloo Township would not have a voice in Congress. Please don't adopt this map. The Chestnut map is much better. Thank you.

Confusing at best.

I don't think this new redistricting map reflects our communities of interest. We are a rural and farming community, we belong with Tuscola county and not Macomb and Oakland counties.

By joining Jackson with Ann Arbor in to one district are two very different community . Not good for either communities. Don't care for this redistrict plan!

Again splitting Downriver into separate districts will not serve my area. Our cities have much more in common with each other than some of the residents in this proposed map, especially Detroit and the rural communities. Our previous congressional representation has been lacking in favor of Detroit for many years. Downriver always seems to be an afterthought. Please keep all of Downriver together as a community of interest. Taylor, in particular as the largest Downriver community, should be included with the other Downriver communities as one COI. This map will negatively affect our representation.

Do not agree with this map for West Michigan or Michigan overall. Too many rural areas combined with city areas takes away the voting significance of the city areas. Go with Apple V2

This map reduces the voice of minorities by putting many rural voters with city voters. The city votes where most of the minorities live are divided up in different districts to reduce their effect.

This is not a fair representation of Taylor as part of the Downriver community. Why would you break apart communities that are similar?

District 9 is NOT remotely a cohesive community. Aside from occupying the state of Michigan there are simply too many disparate communities in this map. Suburban, near/inner semi agricultural, only agricultural, communities that support the arts and DIA and vast swathes that do not. If ever there was an effort to ram republican candidates down the throats of north Oakland County voters this is it! I'm sure the rural and east side communities don't mind but I see this as a dilution of my communities ability to have a voice in the US house. After being represented by Elissa Slotkin for 4 years this is a non-starter. There will never be a rep in this district that will represent my community. It is NOT POSSIBLE and makes absolutely NO SENSE to put anyone north of Oakland county into this map/district! Oakland township shares school districts with Rochester and this map separates us and lumps us with people that don't share the same concerns we have here in North Oakland county. I was hopeful this process would be fair for our community but this is disastrous. Beat farmers and suburban dwellers do not share much in common, except pioneer or big chief sugar. What the hell were you thinking?! Change it!

This 'tooth' in Washtenaw should be left in Washtenaw. It defeats the 'keeping districts square' concept. The population can be adjusted in Ionia or Shiawasse County where you are already splitting the County.

Residents repeatedly asked the Commission to respect COI by keeping all 18 Downriver communities In Wayne county together in one congressional district. Instead, Downriver has been divided into three democrat gerrymandered congressional districts. Two districts are joined with Detroit which, with the exception of the Delray neighborhood, does not have the shared values, economic interests or history of Downriver. The third district pairs Downriver communities with Ann Arbor, a college town, completely disconnected from our way of life Downriver.

This map splits Ottawa county and lumps too many far away cities with rural areas. Looks like hints of gerrymandering just to get Allendale. One of the worst for common interests. Of the last four, only the APPLE V2 works the best for West Michigan.

Grand Rapids is in with farming communities. Not a good district. Either of these separate communities want to be with like areas.

I approve of this proposal.

West Michigan is not represented fairly in this map. This is not a fair map for the state as a whole. The rural population included with the Grand Rapids city areas takes away from the city voice. I will bet that the rural population does not want to be lumped in with the city also. In addition, these townships do not want to be in the same district with Grand Rapids city. The lakeshore district is divided extensively. Apple V2 is the only map with fair representation.

Northville, Plymouth and Canton have much more in common with Livonia. These communities should all be in the same district.

Not a good map for Asians. Combines city areas with country areas to reduce the significance of our votes and divide priority for our needs in the city. Also, divides the Asian population in west Michigan.

This map is not good for fair representation for the State or Grand Rapids area. City areas around Grand Rapids are combined with rural townships in Ottawa and Ionia Townships. Neither area would be represented well. Apple V2 or Chestnut represent all these areas much better.

Troy, Michigan belongs in Oakland County, not Macomb County.

This is a terrible map for West Michigan and the state as a whole. It dilutes the influence of large population Grand Rapids metro area city areas by combining with rural townships in Ottawa and Ionia Townships. In addition, these townships do not want to be in the same district with Grand Rapids city. The lakeshore district is divided extensively. Apple V2 or Chestnut represent all these areas much better.

I would prefer that the entire city of Troy be included in an Oakland County district.

There are few similarities between Oakland and Macomb counties. It makes no sense to combine them into one district.

I do not believe that Oakland County should be grouped with Macomb County.

This map is not the best since Downriver Michigan is only in three districts. The Apple v2 and Birch v2 separate southern Dearborn Heights and Romulus from the northern downriver district. I recommend Romulus and southern Dearborn Heights to be in district 13. The Downriver cities are Allen Park, Brownstown, southern Dearborn Heights (south of Dartmouth street), Ecorse, Flat Rock, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile, Huron, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, River Rouge, Riverview, Rockwood, Romulus, Southgate, Taylor, Trenton, Woodhaven, and Wyandotte. Some people think that Dearborn Heights is Downriver Michigan, and some don't. Dearborn Heights is only 30 percent downriver since southern Dearborn Heights are only 30 percent. Southern Dearborn Heights is just south of Dearborn, north of Monroe county, west of Detroit river, and northeast of the metro airport, which meets all four commands for the Downriver Michigan area. This map indicates that Downriver, Michigan is in three districts. District 6 is all southern downriver cities (Brownstown, Flat Rock, Gibraltar, Grosse Ile, Huron, Riverview, Rockwood, Trenton, and Woodhaven) and two northern downriver cities (Southgate and Wyandotte). District 13 includes Allen Park, Ecorse, Lincoln Park, Melvindale, River Rouge. And district 12 is a western Wayne county district, where 1.3 downriver cities in district 12 (southern Dearborn Heights and Romulus).

Midland County should be kept together.

My city of Troy belongs with Oakland County.

This map does not keep Jackson County whole. Rather it splits off the rural eastern portion of the county and joins it with Washtenaw county, specifically Ann Arbor. You could not pick two dissimilar areas to put together. It would definitely leave these people without a voice.

This map lumps Troy together with communities to the east with which it has minimal shared educational, economic and recreational interests. The map would create irreconcilable conflicts for the resulting district's elected representative and should therefore be withdrawn from consideration.

I think that District 6 is poorly drawn especially since many districts such as Salem feel more associated with south lyon schools rather than with the canton-Plymouth school community.

Oakland County and Macomb County are not really a COI. There are many business and educational as well as philosophical differences between the two and no congressperson can adequately balance those differences. My city, Troy, belongs with other Oakland County cities.

Previous maps grouped Southern Oakland Twp with Rochester. We share services, schools and zipcodes with Rochester. We should share representation. Thank you.

Do not split off communities to the east in Jackson County.

Not a good choice, since it only creates one competitive district. Chestnut is much better.

I don't support this map because it combines the large metro area of Grand Rapids with a larger rural area, diluting the urban vote, just as has been done with previous gerrymandered districts in West Michigan. We need a fairer, less partisan district that will allow the minority populations in West Michigan (Grand Rapids and either Muskegon or Kalamazoo) to be better represented.

The Birch map is bad for the region as it combines metro Grand Rapids with rural areas from Ottawa and Ionia counties that have divergent interests, it splits Ottawa county up and it reduces chances of minority representation. Please do not choose the Birch map.

This proposed district blends metro grand rapids with random rural areas that don't have much in terms of shared interests, and seems designed to marginalize the voices of minority and urban voters.

I do not like this map. It does not keep Jackson County Whole. It separates a group of rural voters from others who need to be represented and will be overrun by the suburban voters of Ann Arbor.

I dislike this map it does not keep Jackson county whole.

This map splits off a rural section of Jackson County that will not be represented by being combined with the city of Ann Arobr. Don't divide Jackson County!!

I don't know why this map continues to be proposed. For District 10, it has gotten nothing but unfavorable votes. In fact, for all the districts it is unfavorable. This is clearly a gerrymandered map looking to water down Democratic voters by placing them in overwhelmingly Republican regions. Please stop pushing this map!

Makes no sense to have Waterloo recreation area lumped in the same district as Ann Arbor.

This map is not balanced and unfairly represents urban areas

Crawford and Roscommon counties need to be together. The village of Roscommon is compiled of citizens from both counties. I have a Roscommon address, my kids go to Roscommon schools and I utilize things such as the Roscommon Library. The town is only a mile from my house yet I live in Crawford county so I have no voting opportunity in the town I live in. If I literally moved across the street, I would live in Roscommon county.

This proposed map unnecessarily divides up the eastern side of Jackson County splitting up our current Community of Interest.

The Birch V2 congressional map does not keep the counties whole. It instead combines the eastern portion of Jackson County with Washtenaw County. Please do not adopt this map. The alternate Chestnut congressional map keeps the counties more whole and as such is the best option. Thank you.

I do not like the Birch V2 congressional map because it does not keep Jackson County whole. It combines the eastern portion of Jackson County, including Waterloo Township, with Washtenaw county. Waterloo Township is a very rural community with no city water, no city sewer, no broadband, and no public transportation. Ann Arbor has all of these things. If this map were to be used, Waterloo Township would not have a voice in Congress. Please don't adopt this map. The Chestnut map is much better. Thank you.

I do not like the Birch V2 congressional map. It does not keep Jackson County whole. It combines the eastern portion of Jackson County, including Waterloo Township, with Washtenaw county. Waterloo Township is a very rural community with no city water, no city sewer, no broadband, and no public transportation. Ann Arbor has all of these things. If this map were to be used, Waterloo Township would not have a voice in Congress. Please don't adopt this map. The Chestnut map is much better. Thank you.

This map joins Troy with communities way too far to the east, communities with which Troy has really nothing in common. I agree completely with the earlier comment that placing Troy (and Rochester) with Eastpointe and Roseville makes no sense and would be a near impossible district for a representative to actually represent given the differences in the communities. It is good to bring Troy, Rochester, Clawson, Royal Oak together, but it makes no sense to push so far east with this district. The Oakland County jurisdictions belong with communities more to the west and south than the east and north. This map should not remain in consideration.

This map not good for Waterloo and Grass Lake communities.

This map removes our valued Waterloo and Grass Lake communities.

City folks don't understand the issues and needs of farming communities. This map lumps urban and rural areas together and this will leave farmers without a voice because there is such a lack of ties to agriculture today. Please keep Jackson County together in one district. I am a senior citizen and I rely on services in my community of Jackson. Thank you.

This map does not solve the issue of gerrymandering. Districts are not being shifted based on the communities of interest that each area serves.

District 10 could be kept entirely in Macomb and 9 could take more of northern Oakland with 11 taking on the southern areas of Oakland from 10. It makes no sense from a community of interest standpoint to have 3 districts crossing Dequindre Road between Oakland and Macomb.

The Birch V2 congressional map disregards keeping our county intact and pushes our neighbors to the east away. These neighborhoods are the school districts our children are friendly rivals with and promote healthy athletic rivalry and communities. They are also the friendly rivals that when one falls, due to serious injury or illness are the schools that are the 1st one to come to aide. Our community of interest would be better reflected with the inclusion of Lenawee County vs Calhoun.

This is the worst map of all for Muskegon and Muskegon Heights. It places us in a heavily white, rural, mid-Michigan focused district. We have no shared interests with the rest of this district and it would disenfranchise our Black and Latino voters.

I do not like the Birch V2 congressional map because it does not keep Jackson County whole. It combines the eastern portion of Jackson County, including Waterloo Township, with Washtenaw county. Waterloo Township is a very rural community with no city water, no city sewer, no broadband, and no public transportation. Ann Arbor has all of these things. If this map were to be used, Waterloo Township would not have a voice in Congress. Please don't adopt this map. The Chestnut map is much better. Thank you.

I do not like the Birch V2 congressional map because it does not keep Jackson County whole. It combines the eastern portion of Jackson County, including Waterloo Township, with Washtenaw county. Waterloo Township is a very rural community, with no city water, city sewer, no broadband, and no public transportation. Ann Arbor has all of these things. If this map were to be used, Waterloo Township would not have a voice in Congress. Please don't adopt this map. The Chestnut map is much better. Thank you.

Good Lord, no! Muskegon has no common interests or needs with the mid state counties.

Western Washtenaw and Eastern Jackson county should not be lumped in with Ann Arbor and eastern Washtenaw county. These are communities of interest that do not support the policies of eastern Washtenaw county and belong in district 5 or 7.

I oppose this map as it divides the lakeshore communities and is less fair and more biased than other proposed maps.

Dividing Ottawa Count into three different districts makes no sense. I believe it's in everyone's best interest to keep the lake shore counties whole in the same district.

Salem Township should be associated with Lyon Twp and South Lyon, as opposed to Ann Arbor, Plymouth and Northville. The majority of Salem Twp is South Lyon Schools. Most residents of the township would consider themselves part of the South Lyon area (especially since most have a South Lyon address). They go to South Lyon/Lyon Township for shopping, dining, church, etc.

I keep seeing comments from citizens from Flint, Saginaw, and Bay City stating that they think this map is the most fair and that they believe that Midland should be included in with Flint. However mostly all red dots from Midland. This could be no further from the truth. Flint has a population of 100K and Midland 40K. Flint has a totally different COI than Midland. They have issues that need representation totally different than Midland. They need drinking water fixed, while we need the ongoing 10 year project of dam, infrastructure, home and business property damage and repair which is ongoing and is in need of massive funding. The Detroit News just had an article that shows the COI of Midland and Gladwin on the flood of 2020 and funding that was just given. We are no where near the total that will be needed. Similarly Flint with their drinking water issue. We honestly have nothing in common with Flint other than both cities are located in Michigan. We do have much in common with Gladwin County and Midland County. So why would you split us apart. Especially from Midland County. Just not right.

An afterthought

Keeping counties whole is one of the last criteria in the constitutional ranking and should not be the determining criteria. Calhoun County's economy, education, health and social construct follows I-94 and attaching us to the counties to the south makes no sense. This map is a disservice to Calhoun County.

This is a bad map for Ottawa county, it splits the county in half and separates it communities. Do not implement this map. Thanks

Apple V2 is the best map. Rochester Hills shouldnt be with Royal Oak.

By this proposal Muskegon is placed in a R+30 district, once again losing its voice as a discrete community. This is actually a step backward from the old, Republican-crafted District 2.

This district looks gerrymandered, it's not compact, doesn't have any respect for municipal boundaries, and cuts up many expressed communities of interest

This map makes no sense for Lyndon township, Washtenaw County because it splits the township in 2. This would significantly add to the costs of elections for the township and makes no sense for the community. Please keep Lyndon whole, and with the rest of Washtenaw county, like the Chestnut map.

Hemlock belongs with the rest of Saginaw.

This map no sense as you cut a vertical slice into Tilch. Where part of the sub is in one district and the rest of the sub district divided on Tilch

I got on this site today and I see that the majority of opinions are DISLIKE seen all across the state. It is time to go back to the drawing board. Just because the deadline is approaching, do not say that this is "good enough". Midland and Midland County should not be separated, and there is no way that the city of Midland, which has NO metropolitan look or feel, should be lumped into a large metro city like Flint. I would ask each commissioner to remember the public meeting in Midland and compare it to the one in Flint. I think everyone would agree that Midland has no geographic or COI with Flint. It is very obvious. Please create a map that is fair for Midland.

I once again see a majority of dislikes on this map. Most all of Midland and Midland County residents continue to dislike this map and are requesting that a map be designed that shows representation for us. This has been done for many other areas. Our voices continue to be dismissed – please give Midland a congressional district that puts Midland back together and in a separate district from Flint. Our communities are vastly different. Why is there no alternative map that provides this option for the public’s consideration? I oppose this map as is.

Splitting Ottawa County into three congressional districts is unacceptable. Other maps are much more reflective of COI.

District 6 is very poorly drawn and seems to be only an afterthought made up of "what was left over," not taking any communities of interest into account. From Grosse Isle in the Detroit River in Wayne County, to Jackson County 66 miles away in the west, these communities have nothing in common. Please do better.

Splitting communities instead of working in community groups, Makes sense only if you are trying to dilute the community vote

I am opposed to this proposal. It hurts Ottawa County.

I do not favor this districting proposal, as it divides Ottawa County in ways that would be detrimental to community cohesion.

I really don't see how Harrison Twp should be in the same district as Port Austin. We need to be in with St Clair Shores or Mt Clemens. We are not a farming community.

Birch DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. By separating Ottawa County, you are separating communities, often right through the center of commercial areas and more. It places townships that identify commercially and culturally with the Lakeshore, into districts dominated by urban Grand Rapids, Saginaw Bay, or Kalamazoo. This is unacceptable for the fastest-growing county in Michigan. It goes against our traditions for generations and cracks our community three ways!

WOW Eldridge Gerry from 1812 would state that this is a perfect example of the word that was named after him. Gerrymandering. Nice compact map except for that little area, kind of like a "bump out" on a trailer,... called the city of Midland that got plucked out of it's real neighbors in Midland County and Gladwin County. I would encourage everyone to read the Detroit News article from Nov. 1 article that discusses yet more proof that Midland and Gladwin should be kept together. It is somewhat scary to me that even the democrats in our area want Midland and Gladwin's voice cut off to the point that they are willing to let their fellow residents not get the financial help that is needed. They are willing to sell out their neighbors so that our vote can be diluted by adding us to Flint. It would be interesting to see If they were that bold that they would take out a page in the Midland Daily News and state this in a more public forum : ‘Feds award Midland, Gladwin region $54M to aid in flood recovery, mitigation’. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/11/01/midland-gladwin-region-awarded-54-m-aid-flood-recovery-mitigation/6231480001/. Again per the top seven categories that the commission is supposed to be using we have #2 geographic contiguity (ps. Look at a map and you will see the City of Midland, Midland County and Gladwin County are neighbors, not Flint); #3 Community of Interest as we have the "realistically over 10 years" to see total recovery from the dams and damage; and #6 maps shall reflect consideration of city and county boundaries (ps. Midland and Midland County are right next to each other). Again, the only reason to put us in Flint is to take away and dilute our voice. Time to take us into consideration as has been done for the democrats in Detroit and other areas. We had a good map once in the beginning, then it got taken off and disappeared.

This is not a good map and does not represent the citizens of Ottawa County!

The Birch V2 map makes no sense. By dividing Ottawa County, communities are being separated, often right through the center of commercial areas and more. It places townships that identify commercially and culturally with the Lakeshore, into districts dominated by urban Grand Rapids, Saginaw Bay, or Kalamazoo. This is unacceptable for the fastest-growing county in Michigan. It goes against our traditions for generations and divides our community three ways.

By separating Ottawa County, you are separating communities, often right through the center of commercial areas and more. It places townships that identify commercially and culturally with the Lakeshore, into districts dominated by urban Grand Rapids, Saginaw Bay, or Kalamazoo. This is unacceptable for the fastest-growing county in Michigan. It goes against our traditions for generations and cracks our community three ways!

Not a good map for Ottawa county.

Troy and Rochester do not make sense to lump through Macomb County all the way to St. Clair Shores and Eastpointe, as well as up to Romeo. Troy has a large diverse population whose voices will be drowned out with this configuration. This is not a fair map for these voters.

Not a good map for Ottawa county. The way it's drawn for Kent county is good, however.

District 9 is ridiculous. It is nothing more than packing a district with Republican votes. The various communities shoved into this district have little in common and would not have adequate representation for A DECADE under this map. Stop with the political gerrymandering and do your job!

This is ridiculously gerrymandered.

Birch does not make sense do not break up Ottawa county

nope

Birch DOES NOT MAKE SENSE. By separating Ottawa County, you are separating communities, often right through the center of commercial areas and more. It places townships that identify commercially and culturally with the Lakeshore, into districts dominated by urban Grand Rapids, Saginaw Bay, or Kalamazoo. This is unacceptable for the fastest-growing county in Michigan. It goes against our traditions for generations and cracks our community three ways!

I do not like this map as it splits Ottawa Co into seperate communities. It places townships and identity commercially and culturally with the Lakeshore into districts that are dominated by urban G>R, Saginaw Bay or Kalamazoo. this is unacceptable for the fastest growing county in Michigan. I have lived here all my life and have been proud of Ottawa county but this is NOT good. It goes against traditions of generations and makes cracks in our communites.

This is a bad map- it splits Ottawa County. I am not in favor of this map

This is a horrible set up for Ottawa County! This is separating our communities and tears us apart, thus weakening our voice.

Not a good choice

I do not like this map because by separating Ottawa County, communities are being separated, often right through the center of commercial areas and more. It places townships that identify commercially and culturally with the Lakeshore, into districts dominated by urban Grand Rapids, Saginaw Bay, or Kalamazoo. This is unacceptable for the fastest-growing county in Michigan.

Stop this redistricting in Michigan. Districting should stay the same as it has been. Counties should not be split for districting. This is an example of elite manipulation - the usual.

This map is awful! Dividing Ottawa county like a toddler colored the map. Cut it out! Stop the gerrymandering!

This one again is gerrymandering. Please stop and consider the population requirements for redistricting. This suggestion far exceeds that requirement and therefore only leaves one deduction, you are gerrymandering. We voted for the people by the people and I am very disappointed, except for Commissioners Clark, Lange and Wagner who seem to be contemplating why the people chose citizens to accomplish this process. The families in the City of Midland and the County of Midland have more shared concerns with education, employment, law enforcement, social welfare... than they do with the people in nearby cities. Keep Midland County together, please.

Each of these proposed maps chestnut, birch, apple separates an L shaped bite from my own Community of Interest, which is Western Wayne county and removes my own suburban city of 100,000 from that COI and into an urban district, with urban needs.

If we are truly aiming to avoid gerrymandering, in most cases a county would not be split into different Congressional Districts. The people in the City of Midland and the County of Midland have more shared concerns with education, employment, law enforcement, social welfare,... than they do with the people in nearby cities. Many agencies serve the entire county. We are organized to work together as a county. It is best to have one representative for the entire county. The County of Midland and many other counties should not be split up.

this is a terrible option!!! It makes no sense at all - do not separate Ottawa county and our communities - do not take townships that identify with the Lakeshore & put them into urban GR or Kzoo. It breaks our community up. Do not accept this option. thank you

Keep Midland and Gladwin Counties together as a whole in any version of mapping. Dissecting the city of Midland out of Midland County is just wrong. Midland was also hit hard during the devastating flood damage in 2020. Midland City should remain intact in Midland county and stay joined with Gladwin county so that the collective needs of all communities of interest who suffered great losses will be met in any future decisions.

This map does not allow the City of Midland to be with Midland and Gladwin counties. These are combined communities. Midland does not have a combined community with Flint. This is supposed to be a non-partisan Commission. This map looks partisan like you are trying to water down the vote from the City of Midland. If you are non-partisan then act like it.

District 3 on this map is not very good in terms of communities of interest or minority representation. It combines many rural townships in Ottawa and Ionia Counties with the Metropolitan region around Grand Rapids. Totally different needs/wants/issues for these areas. Ottawa County is not kept whole, and the lakeshore areas are split up. Townships outside of Kent County do not want to be with the Grand Rapids area because their rural votes will be diluted by the large city population. Only possible ways to get more like areas to Grand Rapids Metro are to go south to Kalamazoo (like in Apple v2 #252 map) or go west to Muskegon on the lake (like in Chestnut #254 map). Additionally, these districts including Grand Rapids Metro areas include other concentrated areas of minority populations to give them a voice.

It makes no sense to spit up Ottawa county.

Midland and Gladwin must stay together in any version of mapping. Dissecting the city of Midland from Midland County is wrong. Midland City was also hit hard with the massive flood damages in 2020 and should remain in the collective needs of our communities of interest. Keep Midland County and Gladwin County together as a whole.

Yet another map that ignores the critical shared interests of Midland and Gladwin Counties. Do better.

This does not represent our area--and divides us and is a BAD districting map!

This is not a good fit for Ottawa county at all. It splits it three ways, Ottawa needs to stay whole. This map is not good at all

This map puts the lie to the promises made in establishing the redistricting commission. It breaks up REAL communities of interest (like that of Western Michigan and the Lakeshore) and takes bits of it and makes them appendages to other parts of the State, with their own interests. Ottawa County is central to Western Michigan and the Lakeshore. This maps treats it as a mere satellite of other areas of the state. No longer would Ottawa County speak with one voice. Instead, Ottawa County would become an afterthought for three Representatives whose real allegiances would lie elsewhere. This map undermines the ability of the grassroots here on the Lakeshore to speak with a clear unambiguous voice on behalf of the interests that make us the only real GROWING part of the state. This map would serve the interests of those who think there should be Rulers (not Representatiives) and that the ruled just need to be told what to do, say and think. Ugh.

The Birch map is bad for Ottawa County it divides and dilutes the voters of this area.

The Birch V2 map is a bad map. Grand Haven and Roscommon and Mt pleasant should not be on the same map.We do not need political Gerrymandering to break up Lakeshore values.

The Birch V2 map is a bad map. It divides Ottawa County in a way obviously designed to dilute the influence of Ottawa County voters with the votes from urbanized areas whose interests often do not coincide with those of Ottawa County voters. It is an attempt to steal the representation of Ottawa County residents by dilution. It puts townships that identify commercially and culturally with the Lakeshore into districts dominated by urban areas with different values and priorities. This is effectively the unacceptable disenfranchisement of Michigan’s fastest growing county. It capriciously divides Ottawa for the benefit of special political interests whose agenda often run counter to those of Ottawa County voters. Please reject this gerrymandered disaster.

I believe this is the worst map for the people of West Michigan. Grand Haven should not be in the same district as Roscommon and Mt. Pleasant. The Chesnutt and Apple maps are much better.

This is a terrible map, and cracks Ottawa county in two, separating communities right through the center of commercial areas and more. Grand Rapids will dominate the Lakeshore. Th is is unacceptable for the fastest growing county in Michigan, and splits the county three ways!

Midland and Gladwin must stay together in any version of mapping. The City of Midland is vastly different than Flint for a variety of reasons the main one being the watershed that Midland is a part of.

This is the first citizen redistricting commission and it was hoped that you would set an important precedent of keeping similar communities together so that Michigan could have fair representation. Sadly, you have consistently ignored communities of interest data and have focused on gerrymandering districts for partisan reasons. Arenac and Bay counties could not be better examples of different communities who are strongly connected. They constitute a strong community of interest. But you consistently have kept us separate so that you can try to carve out Republican areas such as Midland and stretch them down to Flint in order to ensure a Democrat keeps his seat. You are failing the purpose of what this commission was supposed to be.

I do not like how this map separates communities

This map does not listen to the voices of Midland. We should not be with Flint. Midland and Gladwin counties should stay together in any version of the Congressional and State Senate maps.

Terrible map, gerrymandering at its worst!

This map again looks like the very definition of gerrymandering. Carving out the City of Midland from the rest of Midland County to combine it with Flint makes absolutely no sense and is simply catering to Democrats. The City of Midland should not be in the same Congressional district as Flint. As someone who has lived and worked in both communities, these are two completely different communities with different interests. Separating Midland from the rest of the County divides the voice of the people across two separate districts when it comes to recovery from the flood. Midland County should be kept together.

Please, Commissioners: The City of Midland and Flint should not be in the same Congressional district. Anyone who lives in this area can tell you, these communities share little in common and deserve separate representation! My parents-in-law live in Genesee County and we drive almost an hour to visit them. It's a completely different community. Not one of your maps provide an option that addresses this! Independents and Republicans live in these areas too and deserve to be heard in this process. Please, we are begging you - stop ignoring us. Please change one of your 3 congressional maps to separate Midland from Flint. I personally voted for this MIRC commission a few years ago and you are making me regret my decision. Please listen to the voices of Independents and Republicans who want fair representation! We have more in common with Gladwin due to flood recovery efforts and you are undercutting all our progress in this area by carving out the city of Midland in this clearly gerrymandered way. Please don't make this about partisan politics!

The City of Midland and Flint should not be in the same Congressional district. None of your maps provide an option that addresses this. Your maps simply cater to Democrat demands. Independents and Republicans live in these areas too and deserve to be heard in this process. Stop ignoring us. A city of 40,000 has vastly different needs than a city of 100,000. Please change one of your 3 congressional maps to separate Midland from Flint.

This map continues to dismiss the comments from Midland community members that verify our Community of Interest is more aligned with Gladwin. Even the Federal Government just awarded $54mm to the "Midland, Gladwin Region" for flood mitigation and recovery. We are one region and need our voices heard. The consistent rhetoric from political activists trying to gerrymander our county needs to be dismissed. Keep Midland and Gladwin Counties whole.

Over half of our community voices have been completely dismissed – please give Midland a congressional district that puts Midland back together and in a separate district from Flint. Our communities are vastly different. Why is there no alternative map that provides this option for the public’s consideration? Read this Detroit News article to see a great example of how unified voices and representation helps our community: ‘Feds award Midland, Gladwin region $54M to aid in flood recovery, mitigation’. https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2021/11/01/midland-gladwin-region-awarded-54-m-aid-flood-recovery-mitigation/6231480001/. After you read it, then tell me that Midland and Gladwin are not a Community of Interest!

This map is terrible. It slices and dices Ottawa County, one of the fastest growing counties in the state into three sections! The little finger that reaches up to grab Allendale Township for District 4 is ridiculous! And then to include it with Kalamazoo! The lakeshore counties would be better served kept together. Please disregard this map. Ottawa county is being made a victim to Democrats in this map and dividing the Republican voice of our county into three sections in an effort to dilute Ottawa's unified communities.

Stop gerrymandering Midland County and pulling the city away from our natural watershed neighbors! Keep Midland County whole and with our natural watershed neighbors of Gladwin and Isabella!

This map dilutes Chaldean voices with Madison Heights, Royal Oak and Ferndale. Apple is the best congressional map for Chaldeans.

This is not a good map. It divides Ottawa County. Please keep our county together!

I do not understand why the district lines for district 9 include this particular area, I live in this neighborhood and it is zoned into Rochester Community schools, yet the majority of my classmates are going to be zoned into district 10 while I am zoned into the thumb with rural people I have nothing in common with. I am asking that this neighborhood be zoned into district 10 or 11 since I have much more in common with the constituents in those districts than district 9 which includes a vast majority of people that I have nothing in common with. ( I accidentally made a previous comment with the same text but accidentally marked it as "like" instead of dislike)

Southern Macomb Twp has witnessed a beautiful growth of minority communities and including this area with the thumb will really dilute their voices.

This looks like an effort to include more of Oakland County with District 10, so that Rochester and Troy are not alone. But, it's such a stretch and divides traditional sister cities like Birmingham and Royal Oak, while alienating Macomb Township and Warren from their communities. Please leave Rochester Hills and Troy with the communities that share their interests, and include more of Macomb Township and Macomb County with District 10. Thank you!

Please remove this Lyndown Township/Washtenaw Co cut out. We've seen this on several maps and this divides the Chelsea community and is unnecessary. Please keep the county boundaries intact where possible - much like you've done with the rest of this map.

This map, while keeping Kent County in the same district, fails to recognize true communities of interest. North and East Kent County are rural and South West Kent County is a metro area. Just because the lines look nice doesn't mean it keeps communities together.

Rochester & Troy in a district with Roseville & Eastpointe? Does anyone there even consider that someone has to represent the very diverse interests and concerns of these areas and hopefully get something done? These maps are terrible and all pretty much the same. Do better; this entire exercise is to give people access to representatives that can address the areas issues in an effective and efficient manner.