https://www.minneapolismn.gov/government/programs-initiatives/redistricting/
On Wednesday, November 12, the Minneapolis Redistricting Advisory Group started work on a draft map that will change the City Council Ward and Park Board District boundaries before the next election, which will take place in November of 2023. (The 2021 municipal election is based on the 2010 census maps. City Council members elected in November will serve a term of two years rather than four. The City Council election in 2023 will be based on the new maps from the 2020 census)
The redistricting process takes place every 10 years after the Census comes out in order to make sure everyone is fairly represented. The goal is to adjust boundaries to ensure that the districts have basically equal populations. After the 2020 Census, two of Minneapolis’ 13 wards are too large, and five are too small. Under the city’s charter, wards must be within 5 percent of the average ward population, which is 33,073 according to the 2020 Census.
The task of redistricting City Council and Park Board boundaries in Minneapolis is done by the Redistricting Advisory Group. (In 2010, voters approved a ballot question giving authority for redistricting to the Charter Commission.) The Charter Commission selects an advisory group of up to nine eligible voters in the City. This group advises the Charter Commission about redistricting. They work together to:
- Prepare new ward and park district maps
- Hold and attend public meetings
- Review all written public comments
The Charter Commission then has the final authority to approve new boundaries.
As of today, November 18, the Redistricting Group has met a number of times over the past few weeks. The meetings are available to watch on the City’s YouTube Channel:
November 10, meeting – https://youtu.be/1sPqiMv2E9Y
November 12, meeting – https://youtu.be/XBfyPWcWScY
November 17, meeting – https://youtu.be/dTpYb4_kxqM
November 18, meeting – https://youtu.be/Q1Z9lfPNMPs
November 22, meeting with State Demographer – https://youtu.be/J7FQOsNQhV8
The Charter Commission held a special meeting on Wednesday, December 15, to receive public comment on the proposed ward boundary and park district changes for 2021-2022 redistricting. A link to that meeting is available here: https://youtu.be/maXlGRy08cI
There will be more opportunities for public comment. Watch the City Website for dates and times:
https://lims.minneapolismn.gov/Calendar/independent/upcoming/
Below is a draft of the proposed adjusted city council ward boundary map as it stands today. This proposal shifts a portion of the Downtown East neighborhood that was previously in Ward 3 into Ward 6. 