Preparing for Redistricting and Reapportionment

Matt Gehring, House Research DepartmentAlexis Stangl, Senate Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis

February 2020

Your constitutional responsibility: draw and enact maps that ensure that every address in Minnesota is represented by a full complement of elected legislative officials.

Important Upcoming Dates

• April 1, 2020. Census Day 2020

• December 31, 2020. Congressional reapportionment announced

• January, 2021. New legislature convenes. Lawsuit challenging existing districts likely.

• Mid-Late March, 2021. All census data arrives. Map drawing begins.

• February 15, 2022. Deadline for enactment of new district plans

• August 9, 2022. State Primary Election

Policy Choices in Redistricting

• What principles should apply to districts?• Federal: population equality; must not intentionally or inadvertently

discriminate on the basis of race• State: single member districts; convenient contiguous territory; nesting;

numbered in regular series• Others?

• What will the legislative process look like?• Commission? • Bipartisanship requirements?• Additional public engagement?

Redistricting Resources: NCSLhttps://www.ncsl.org/research/redistricting.aspx

Redistricting Resources: Minnesotahttps://www.gis.leg.mn/html/redistricting.html

Preparing for Redistricting and Reapportionment

Matt Gehring, House Research DepartmentAlexis Stangl, Senate Counsel, Research and Fiscal Analysis

February 2020