In the November, 2018 mid-term election Michigan voters approved (by a more than 3-to-2 margin) Proposal 2 to change the way the state's political lines are drawn. So . . . what happens now?

The initiative will amend Michigan's constitution to create a 13-member independent citizens' redistricting commission, composed of four Republicans, four Democrats and five people who don't identify with either party. The new commission will first draw lines for the 2022 election, using data from the 2020 census. Court challenges are likely.

By 1 Dec. 2019 the Michigan Legislature must appropriate money for the commission, including pay for its members of at least $39,825 each. The commission will convene every 10 years and will disband after resolution of any legal challenges to its redistricting plan.

By 1 January 2020, the Secretary of State must circulate commissioner's applications. Applications will be accepted until June 1, 2020, and the 13 members will be selected by Sept. 1, 2020, through a process that includes random drawings, efforts to ensure the makeup of the commission represents the state geographically and demographically, and a process by which the four state legislative leaders from the two parties are able to strike from consideration up to five applicants each.

The commission will hold public meetings and adopt a redistricting plan no later than Nov. 1, 2021

Today, legislative districts are all supposed to have roughly the same number of people in them, and commissioners must comply with the Voting Rights Act by not eliminating majority black districts. Under Michigan's newly adopted ballot proposal, districts will "reflect the state's diverse population and communities of interest," and "districts shall not provide a disproportionate advantage to any political party."