In the past two elections, Democrats in Michigan gained a majority of votes but it was Republicans who controlled the government. The 2022 midterm revealed what kind of impact fair maps can have on an election.
After a decade of government-drawn maps, citizens in Michigan were in charge of the electoral map for the state’s 2022 midterm elections. The result was that the elected legislature almost exactly reflects the votes, a change from past elections.
Democratic candidates for the Michigan House and Senate won a majority of votes this year, translating into their party winning control of both legislative chambers.
An Associated Press analysis of election data indicates that Michigan's new state legislative districts reduced the built-in advantage Republicans had enjoyed over the previous decade.
Candidates in Michigan ran in new districts drawn by a citizens commission. Democratic candidates for the Michigan House and Senate won a majority of votes this year, translating into their party winning control of both legislative chambers.