Redistricting

EVERY VOICE MATTERS, EVERY VOTE COUNTS

Every voice in Minnesota should be heard, and every vote should count equally. We must empower everyday Minnesotans and prevent maps from being drawn unfairly and stripping voters of their vote. Every Minnesotan deserves the opportunity to participate in the redistricting process.

EMPOWER VOTERS TO CHOOSE

Elections should be determined by voters, not politicians who draw maps. Voters should pick their elected officials, not the other way around. In our current system, politicians can draw their own district lines to pick their voters and protect themselves. A special redistricting commission would empower voters and maximize representation instead.

CHEATERS SHOULDN’T WIN

Relying on politicians to fix the redistricting system is like putting the fox in charge of the henhouse. We need clear and impartial rules. If we make the process open and honest, we can protect our fundamental right to vote. We have the opportunity to prevent gerrymandering, create rules that apply evenly to both parties, and send a message that voters come first, not self-interested politicians.

Our Maps MN Campaign

LWVMN is proud to be part of the Our Maps MN campaign, driven by a coalition of civic engagement advocates, nonprofits, grantmakers, grassroots groups, technical experts, academics and others working toward a community-focused, accessible, and transparent redistricting process.

We want Minnesotans to have confidence in our political system and we want elected officials to represent and respect the diversity and interests of the people they were elected to serve. We believe one way this is best accomplished is through achieving Congressional and State legislative district maps that reflect input from communities of interest, particularly historically under-represented communities.

REDISTRICTING TASK FORCE

The LWVMN Redistricting Task Force works to raise awareness and support within LWVMN membership and Leagues, elected officials, and the public to create a process for congressional and legislative redistricting that ensures that maps are created that reflect the interests of the people of Minnesota and not the interests of political parties.  Task force members arrange and support local programs to educate and engage members and the public on redistricting, and advocate to elected officials that the existing process must be changed.  The Redistricting Task Force also provides input and suggestions on the approach to state redistricting reform, and to identify and support reform of local (city and county) redistricting in advance of the 2030 census and redistricting cycle.

Proposed Congressional and Legislative Maps

View LWVMN’s final proposed Congressional and Legislative maps.

Welcome to Hexland!

So, how does redistricting work, anyway? This video series explains what principles should be used, and why it's important to ensure all people are represented equitably.

LWVMN Joins Redistricting Lawsuit

LWVMN is a co-plaintiff in Wattson v. Simon, asking the Minnesota Supreme Court to appoint a special redistricting panel to prepare for the state’s upcoming redistricting process.

Will Your Vote Count in 2022?

A discussion on the redistricting process and the impact it has on our state. Includes historical perspectives and insights on demographic changes. Download Slides

What is redistricting? What is gerrymandering?

Redistricting is the process of redrawing the boundaries of legislative and congressional districts. This process happens every 10 years to adjust for population changes. Currently, legislators must draw new maps like they pass any other legislation. In other states, politicians have engaged in gerrymandering. 

Gerrymandering is the manipulation of district boundaries to draw a map that is not representative of the community. Sometimes this is done by unfairly favoring a political party or diluting the vote of racial or ethnic minorities.

What is the process now?

In Minnesota, the legislature controls the redistricting process. In theory, a set of district maps would be approved by the Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate, then signed into law by the Governor. But sometimes those parties cannot agree. They might think a map has been gerrymandered or puts their party at a disadvantage.

When those parties cannot agree before their deadline, they rely on a court to draw the maps. Usually a court appoints a panel of retired judges to create a final impartial map.

Can We do a constitutional amendment?

Yes! The legislature could implement both a constitutional amendment and statutes to achieve full reform. However, the amendment would need to be very well written to ensure it gets enough support from voters.

Why not a judges-only model?

A panel of retired judges would not necessarily be as open to the public as a panel that included citizens. Retired judges in Minnesota also are almost exclusively white and male. We want to ensure that the redistricting commission has an opportunity to be at least somewhat representative and reflective of Minnesota’s voters. There should also be the opportunity for voters to directly participate in the process by applying to be part of the special commission.

But the Minnesota constitution requires the legislature to draw the maps, doesn’t it?

Yes, the Minnesota constitution requires that the legislature provide the final approval of the maps. However, Minnesota could create a special commission to provide draft maps to the legislature. The legislature retains the final authority to approve or reject a map. Or Minnesota could pass a constitutional amendment so that the legislature does not have the final authority to draw the maps.

What reforms can Minnesota consider for redistricting?

People

• Who draws and decides on the maps?

Process

• How are these people chosen?

• How do these people draw and decide on the maps?

• What is the role of the public in the making decisions?

Principles

• What criteria or standards make a map “good” or “fair”?

Suggested Readings:

Cato Institute, Cato Handbook for Policymakers (8th ed. 2017), https://www.cato.org/cato-handbook-policymakers/cato-handbook-policy-makers-8th-edition-2017 (recommending that states “prescribe procedures for redistricting that limit political insiders’ discretion in drawing district lines, or entrust the process to those without a vested interest;” “enact transparency measures […] to allow the public to analyze districting maps under consideration and propose alternative maps;” and “specify objective criteria for redistricting”).

Campaign Legal Center, Designing Independent Redistricting Commissions (2018), https://campaignlegal.org/document/designing-independent-redistricting-commissions (recommending “structure” and “criteria” for independent redistricting commissions).

Brennan Center for Justice, Democracy: An Election Agenda for Candidates, Activists, and Legislators (2018) https://www.brennancenter.org/publication/democracy-election-agenda-2018 (recommending “independent redistricting commissions, or add other safeguards to prevent partisan bias in the redistricting process”).

Brennan Center for Justice, Creating Strong Rules for Drawing Maps (2019), https://www.brennancenter.org/publication/creating-strong-rules-drawing-maps (recommending “clear rules in order of priority” by which to judge maps).

People Powered Fair Maps Flyer

Download and print this two-sided, 8.5 x 11 flyer to use as a handout for your next event. It offers the same content as this page.

“Slay the Dragon”

Watch the documentary film about redistricting or watch a recording of our panel discussion that followed (July 2020).

Redistricting in Minnesota

Watch LWV Duluth and Paul Huffman offer important information on redistricting and how it affects your voting power.