Republican plans to redraw Michigan’s congressional and legislative districts passed quickly through the state Senate on Tuesday.

The assembly, after a 21-14 party-line vote, approved a plan analysts say would likely flip Michigan’s representation in Washington, D.C., from a Democratic to a Republican majority.

Democrats have cried foul, saying the process has been unnecessarily hurried by the Republicans, who are in a strong position to decide the new boundaries, as they control both state legislative chambers and the governor’s office.

District lines are redrawn every 10 years after each U.S. Census is taken.

This year’s data was released in March, though a new plan doesn’t need to be signed by Gov. John Engler until Nov. 1.

“This bill is being rammed through the Legislature for one reason only - partisan advantage,” said Sen. Burton Leland, D-Detroit. “It’s just happening too fast.”

Senate minority leader John Cherry Jr. said he is discouraged the chamber did not provide ample time for public opinion to be collected on the topic.

“A fair and open process, that grants everyone the chance to participate, is the only way to ensure that we are truly meeting the demands of democracy,” the Clio Democrat said.

But Republican lawmakers said the plans conformed to the federal voter rights act and broke few county and local government lines.

“Nobody knows before an election who’s going to win and who’s going to lose. If you count your chickens before they’re hatched, you’re going to be wrong on this,” said Rusty Hills, chairman of the state Republican Party.

The Senate-approved plan must now be considered by the state House.

If the plan is not changed by the House, the new lines would pit two pairs of Democratic incumbents against each other and, experts say, give the GOP a 9-6 advantage on Capitol Hill. Democrats now hold a 9-7 edge, but Michigan lost one seat under the new census.

The plan forces Democratic Reps. Dale Kildee of Flint and Jim Barcia of Bay City against each other in the 2002 election. And Reps. John Dingell of Dearborn and Lynn Rivers of Ann Arbor would face off in next year’s election.

It also would put U.S. Rep. David Bonior of Mount Clemens in the same district as Rep. Sander Levin of Royal Oak, although Bonior is running for governor instead.

Each district would represent 662,563 people.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.