Minn. court issues redistricting guidelines
Go Deeper.
Create an account or log in to save stories.
Like this?
Thanks for liking this story! We have added it to a list of your favorite stories.
The court panel playing referee in Minnesota's redistricting process has spelled out the principles that will guide its decisions.
An order issued Friday was highly anticipated by political parties looking for the upper hand from new congressional and legislative boundaries. The exercise is designed to come up with districts with equal populations.
For the first time, the court says it regards the metropolitan area as 11 counties, not seven. That matters more exurban counties could be tied into districts in suburban and urban areas. Republicans favored that approach.
But Democrats won assurances from the court that "communities of interest" - those with geographic, cultural or ethnic similarities - would be preserved where possible.
The court says it wants to avoid maps with "undue incumbent protection or excessive incumbent conflicts." The maps aren't expected before late February.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
Turn Up Your Support
MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding. Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all.
