MARQUETTE — The Marquette County Board of Commissioners will hold their regular meeting at 6 tonight in room 231 of the Henry A. Skewis Annex, along Baraga Avenue in Marquette.

The board has several action items on the agenda, including the consideration of a resolution to support the efforts of Voters Not Politicians, or VNP, a nonpartisan, nonprofit group that seeks to end gerrymandering by forming an independent citizens redistricting commission.

At the July 3 meeting of the Marquette County Board of Commissioners VNP Education Coordinator Gene Champagne gave commissioners a short presentation on gerrymandering in Michigan and the mission of VNP during the privileged comment session.

Champagne explained VNP collected over 400,000 signatures to place a ballot initiative on the Nov. 6 ballot. If passed, the initiative would amend Michigan’s constitution to allow the creation of an independent citizens redistricting commission that would draw districts after the next census, rather than the Legislature.

Champagne says forming this independent citizens redistricting commission would effectively end the process of gerrymandering, which happens across the state, as well as very close to home.

“We have it here in the U.P., we have it right here in Marquette County,” he said at the July 3 meeting. “I live in Powell Township. Since 2002, we vote with the 110th House District, the western U.P. Since 2002, my state House representatives have come from Bessemer, Ontonogan, Hancock and Calumet.”

After his presentation at the July 3 meeting, Champagne asked the board to consider formally endorsing the initiative, noting “this board has been looked to as a leader. People listen to you across the state.”

Chairman Gerald Corkin noted his support for the mission of VNP at the July 3 meeting and advised Champagne the commission would consider a resolution at a future meeting, as two commissioners were absent from the meeting.

“Marquette County strongly believes that a revised process to establish voter districts … will more accurately represent the people in the State of Michigan versus the existing process that includes State legislators. Which, under the current system, Districts can be manipulated to benefit the political party in power,” Corkin wrote in materials provided to the board.

If the initiative passes, the independent citizens redistricting commission will be created as a transparent, nonpartisan group that will follow strict criteria for creating districts and hold public hearings during the process — the commission would be comprised of 13 registered Michigan voters, including four Republicans, four Democrats and five people who are unaffiliated with either party, according to VNP.

Another resolution that will be considered by the board tonight is a resolution to support the Upper Peninsula Area Agency on Aging’s 2019 Annual Implementation Plan for services to Upper Peninsula Older Adults.

According to a memo to the county from UPAAA Executive Director Jonathan Mead, the county is not required to take any action on the plan, but can choose to support it by the resolution.

The board will also consider an easement request, appointments to the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority and a vehicle bid recommendation for the Veteran Affairs Department at tonight’s meeting.

Cecilia Brown can be reached at 906-228-2500, ext. 248.