Timeline

The Michigan Constitution outlines a specific process for the random selection of the final 13 commissioners. The Secretary of State must randomly select commissioners from the pool of eligible applicants. This process was completed between June and August 2020. There are a three primary steps in that process. 

Step 1: Following the closure of the application period, the Secretary of State's Office must randomly select 200 semifinalist applicants and provide those applications to the Michigan Legislature for review. Of the 200 randomly selected applicants, 60 people must affiliate with the Republican Party, 60 people must affiliate with the Democratic Party and 80 must not affiliate with either of those political parties. The Secretary of State's Office was required to use statistical weighting methods to ensure the pool of 200 semifinalists mirrors the geographic and demographic makeup of the state, as specified by the state constitution. 

Step 2: In July 2020 the minority and majority leaders in the Michigan Senate and the Speaker of the House and minority leader in the Michigan House removed 20 applicants from the semifinalist pool, as permitted by the State constitution. You can review those strikes here.

Step 3: In August 2020, from the remaining pool received from the Legislature, the Secretary of State's Office randomly selected four people who affiliate with the Republican Party, four people who affiliate with the Democratic Party and five people who do not affiliate with either major political party to serve on commission.