Minnesota

Minnesota’s congressional and state legislative lines are both drawn by the state legislature, as a regular statute, subject to gubernatorial veto.

The members of the state House committee responsible for redistricting are listed here; the members of the state Senate committee are listed here.

Minnesota law requires that congressional and legislative districts be drawn in the first legislative session after the census; that session began on Jan. 5, 2021, and is currently scheduled to end on May 17, 2021. [Minn. Const. art. IV, § 3]  By statute, Minnesota has set a “final” deadline of 25 weeks before the primary election (Feb. 15, 2022), in order to give counties and municipalities time to reset precinct boundaries. Candidates must file for congressional and state legislative primary elections by May 31, 2022. [Minn. Stat. §§ 204B.09(1)(a), 204B.14(1a)]

Minnesota ties the drawing of congressional and state legislative lines to the Census, and might therefore be construed to prohibit redrawing lines mid-decade. [Minn. Const. art. IV, § 3]

The redistricting panel in Wattson v. Simon, which was appointed to oversee the redistricting process, issued an order establishing a schedule for public hearings from October 11, 2021 through October 26, 2021.

Like all states, Minnesota must comply with constitutional equal population requirements. [Minn. Const. art. IV, § 2]

Minnesota must also, like all states, abide by the Voting Rights Act and constitutional rules on race.

The Minnesota constitution requires that state Senate districts be contiguous, and that Representative districts be nested within Senate districts. [Minn. Const. art. IV, § 3]  By statute, the legislature has extended the contiguity requirement to all congressional and legislative districts, and asked that political subdivisions not be divided more than necessary; that statutory provision may be modified by the legislature at any time. [Minn. Stat. § 2.91(2)]

On May 17, 2011, Minnesota’s legislature passed congressional (HF 1426) and state legislative (HF 1425) lines, but the Governor vetoed both on May 19, 2011.

The State Supreme Court once again stepped in, appointing a panel of judges to draw lines.  The Minnesota Citizens Redistricting Commission planned public meetings in August and September, to collect testimony and produce maps that they hoped would inform the judges’ decision. Common Cause Minnesota and the Humphrey School’s Center for the Study of Politics and Governance also announced a public competition to draw congressional and legislative lines.

The judges held a series of public meetings from Oct. 4-14, and invited proposed maps; on Feb. 21, 2012, the panel issued congressional and state legislative lines.  [Hippert v. Ritchie, 813 N.W.2d 391 (Minn. 2012) (congressional plan); Hippert v. Ritchie, 813 N.W.2d 374 (Minn. 2012) (legislative plan)]

In February and March, 2012, the Secretary of State issued a few technical corrections. On Apr. 27, 2012, the legislature passed HF 2821, modifying a few state House districts; the governor vetoed the bill on May 2, 2012.  On May 22, 2013, the legislature passed HF 894, modifying the same state House districts; the governor signed the bill a day later.

Minnesota’s legislature failed to enact either congressional or state legislative plans; the state Supreme Court instead stepped in, and delegated redistricting to a special panel of judges. That panel issued both congressional and state legislative plans, effective Mar. 19, 2002.

[Zachman v. Kiffmeyer, C0-01-160 (Minn. Spec. Redistricting Panel Mar. 19, 2002) (congressional plan)]; Zachman v. Kiffmeyer, C0-01-160 (Minn. Spec. Redistricting Panel Mar. 19, 2002) (legislative plan)]