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State Representative Jeanne Poppe
100 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
651-296-4193
For more information contact: Charlie Vander Aarde 651-297-8406
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REDISTRICTING PROCESS UNDERWAY
Every ten years the citizens of the United States are asked to complete a federal census questionnaire. In 2010 there was a lot of effort put into getting questionnaires completed throughout every state. The biggest benefit for the states is to rank their total population against all other states to determine how many Congressional seats they will have in the U.S. House. As you likely remember from high school civics class, every state has two senators for a total of 100 U.S. Senators. When it comes to representation in the U.S. Senate, it is equal in number with no regard for population numbers. However, in the U.S. House of Representatives, the representation is proportional based on the number of citizens living in each state. For that reason, the decennial census numbers are important as they determine if a state retains the same number of Congressional seats or if they either gain or lose any seats.
The U.S. Census Bureau has been releasing data since last December. First, we learned that Minnesota would keep all eight congressional seats. Minnesota added 348,446 people or 7.8% from 2000 to 2010. Next, we learned that our 5,303,925 people rank us 21st in U.S. population and our 65 people per square mile density ranks us 31st in the country.
Clearly there is a lot of data derived from the census questionnaires. The raw numbers help each state determine how their legislative districts will be drawn. This process is known as redistricting and it comes up every ten years. I have the honor of serving on the Minnesota House Redistricting Committee this legislative session. It is a unique committee that is slightly different from others in the legislature. We are charged with developing a political map of the entire state; dividing all 86,939 square miles into eight congressional districts, 67 state senate districts, and 134 state house districts. Some parts of our state have only two people per square mile and others have thousands.
Based on Census data from 2000, Minnesota House District 27B which I represent, has 55 persons per square mile and covers 670.5 square miles. I represent parts of two counties, the city of Austin and 11 smaller cities, parts of at least eight school districts, and 19 townships. Let me use an urban district, 64A in St. Paul, for comparison. Based on Census data from 2000, my colleague, Representative Erin Murphy’s Minnesota House district has 7,104 persons per square mile and covers 5.2 square miles. Rep. Murphy represents a portion of a single county, a portion of a single city and a portion of a single school district. The difference is astonishing even though we both represent approximately 36,000 people.
Recognizing the geographic diversity of the state, the Redistricting Committee is charged with making sure that each person has equal representation from their elected legislators. We have to be aware of many factors and concerns.
The committee uses the raw data to try to set up a comprehensive and complete statewide map setting boundaries for the Minnesota House and Senate and the eight Congressional boundaries. There are certain criteria that must be met, including having the population be as equal as possible in each district, having compact and contiguous territory, and setting boundaries along census block lines. Minority representation and communities of interest are also to be considered as lines are drawn. The committee has held three public hearings outside the Capitol. We heard from residents in Marshall, Hermantown and Rochester. During these sessions we heard concerns about splitting up neighborhoods, counties, school districts and ethnic communities.
There is one more word or concept you may remember from high school civics class and that is “gerrymandering" which refers to the concept of manipulating district lines to affect political power. Clearly, the process has political ramifications when you are dealing with currently seated incumbents and the party which is currently in the majority trying to maintain their power. Incumbent protection gerrymandering occurs when those drawing the lines try to ensure that each party holds on to the districts it already controls. Partisan gerrymandering occurs when the political party in control of the line drawing process draws districts to favor itself and limits opportunities for the opposition party.
There have been many times in Minnesota’s history that the courts have had to determine the redistricting outcomes because of claims that the process was not fair. Just this week, retired, notable Minnesota politicians from three political parties held a press conference asking the state legislature to consider the use of a nonpartisan commission to create the redistricting lines. Although it doesn’t seem likely that this year’s legislature will consider that option, it remains to be seen how partisan the process will become. The conclusion of the redistricted maps should be in place by the end of this legislative session. We are mandated to have the process completed by February 21, 2012 or else the courts will make the decisions.
As the committee develops its recommendations, it is important we continue to hear from citizens across the state. We continue to solicit input on the process and your feedback is important to us. You can find a roster of committee members, the meeting schedule, and contact information at the House website: www.house.mn.
I will continue to keep you updated on this and the other issues I am working on at the legislature. Please continue to contact me in the weeks ahead with your questions and feedback. I can be reached at 651-296-4193, by email at rep.jeanne.poppe@house.mn, or by mail at 291 State Office Building, St. Paul, MN 55155.
News Items
- POPPE SELECTED AS AGRICULTURE POLICY COMMITTEE CHAIR - (Posted: 2012-11-16 00:00:00)
- Rep. Jeanne Poppe Encourages High School Juniors to Apply for Minnesota House of Representatives Page Program - Application Deadline is November 19th - (Posted: 2012-11-12 00:00:00)
- HORMEL INSTITUTE EXPANSION SIGNED INTO LAW - 2012 legislative session adjourns sine die - (Posted: 2012-05-11 00:00:00)
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