Washtenaw County will now be part of District 12 after its previous district (District 15) was eliminated as a result of the 2010 census.
The 2010 census showed that Washtenaw County’s population increased by about 22,000 people, bringing the total county population to around 344,791 residents.
“There are few changes in the congressional line in Washtenaw County,” said Leigh Greden, Eastern Michigan University executive director of Government and Community Relations.
“As a result of redistricting, Michigan has lost one congressional seat, going from 15 seats to 14 seats,” Greden said. “Ann Arbor, Pittsfield Township and the Ypsilanti area will all be in the 12th district, considered to be heavily democratic, and will be represented by John Dingell who is re-running for representative.”
Districts within Washtenaw County are also changing. Washtenaw County is now divided up by a nine-district plan proposed by County Prosecutor Brian Mackie, and approved by Washtenaw County’s five-member apportionment commission.
The plan was revised with the help of other Democrats on the apportionment commission and gained unanimous support from all commissioners.
“In the state House, the 55th district has been redrawn to include the northern third of Ann Arbor as well as Pittsfield Township, and the district will now be entirely Washtenaw County,” Greden said.
“Washtenaw County gained population as a result of the 2010 census and we now have enough population for four districts just in Washtenaw County.”
As a result of redistricting within Washtenaw County, a seat on the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners has been eliminated. This means incumbents on the board will have to run against each other to keep their seat in 2013.
Other changes will occur under the nine-district plan such as the loss of a district in Ann Arbor and current commissioners Leah Gunn and Yousef Rabhi will be in the new District 8 together.
