Panelists talk redistricting at Spring 2018 Griffin Policy Forum
Redistricting was at the center of a heated debate at the Spring 2018 Griffin Policy Forum.
Three panelists talked about upcoming redistricting in Michigan, the effects of gerrymandering and paid respects to former Griffin Chair Maxine Berman during "The Redistricting Dilemma: How the Political Map Determines Elections" event April 9 in the Charles V. Park Library Auditorium.
Panelists included:
- Bernie Porn, founder of EPIC-MRA, a survey research firm.
- Steve Mitchell, chair of Mitchell Research & Communications, Inc. A company, “specializing in public affairs, advocacy, market research, political consulting, and political polling,” according to their website.
- Nathan Inks, an attorney and CMU graduate who was the Republican nominee for State Representative for Michigan’s 14th District.
The event was moderated by Bill Ballenger, a Michigan political pundit who now runs the website, The Ballenger Report.
“All across the country now there is a heightened awareness of how political lines are drawn and this whole idea about gerrymandering that has been in the headlines lately are the reasons we are having this discussion tonight,” said David Rutledge, the Robert and Marjorie Griffin Endowed Chair in American Government. “The fact that there will be a petition on the ballot this fall that speaks to how lines are drawn in this state.”
Each panelist described redistricting and gerrymandering to the audience.
Mitchell described redistricting as being directly affected by the census, saying it effects representation in the country and ensures “one man, one vote”. Gerrymandering is used to give one party an advantage over the other, Mitchell said.
Porn described redistricting it in a similar fashion, but said he disagreed with how districts are made. He was also adamant gerrymandering is a big issue in Michigan.
“Most of the districts (in Michigan) are likely Republican,” Porn said, touching on his own history dealing with gerrymandering in the state.
Out of the three, Porn was the only one who was in favor of the new redistricting plan that may be on the ballot. That redistricting plan was made by Voters Not Politicians, and will likely be on the ballot in 2018.
Inks, speaking on the current ballot proposal, said it had issues. He said the new plan is too vague by using the term “communities of interest.” Instead of using people to draw lines, Inks believed a computer algorithm should determine how districts are drawn with human oversight.
Mitchell claimed the Democratic Party and political activist George Soros were behind the proposal, to which people in attendance booed.
When one audience member asked for evidence, Mitchell was silent for a moment before claiming he received a phone call from the organization behind the redistricting effort, asking him to join.
Porn jumped in, sharing that some Republicans are part of the committee. He cited former Republican U.S. Representative Joe Schwarz as an example.
Despite partisanship discussions, the event also paid respects to Berman, the fourth Griffin Chair, who died in March.
David Jesuit, a chairperson with the College of Political Science and Public Administration, described her as “fearless”. Several other speakers also spoke about Berman before a moment of silence.
