Schwarz, Wiley To Participate in Redistricting Reform Town Hall Thursday in Battle Creek

The nonpartisan ballot committee Voters Not Politicians plans a town hall Thursday, September 21 to discuss what is sometimes referred to as "gerrymandering".

Dr. Joe Schwarz, former Battle Creek mayor and U.S. representative is one of the speakers scheduled, as well as former Battle Creek city manager Wayne Wiley.

What: Redistricting Reform Town Hall

When: Thursday, September 21, 2017 at 4 p.m.

Where: St.Thomas Episcopal Church, 16 Van Buren Street East, Battle Creek

Sponsor: Voters Not Politicians

Schwarz tells 95.3 WBCK the goal of the session is to explain gerrymandering, which Voters Not Politicians describes as creating contorted boundaries in voting districts with "salamander-like shapes". The goal is to "concentrate their opponent's supporters into a few districts as possible, while giving their own supporters a decisive advantage in the rest".

Voters Not Politicians

Voters Not Politicians hopes to put a constitutional amendment on the ballot in 2018, encouraging voters to create an independent commission to handle redistricting. Legislative boundaries are drawn every ten years; Schwarz said the legislature rubber-stamps what biased private entities come up with. He said Republicans have the advantage now in Michigan, but Democrats have in the past as well.

Click the player above to hear more from Schwarz on the subject.