ST. PAUL – State Representative Paul Torkelson (R-Hanska), and residents of southwestern Minnesota have learned the maps of new legislative districts in the State Legislature. A special panel of five state judges released its redistricting plan for the Minnesota Legislature on February 15. The plan is necessary due to population changes from the 2020 census.
Torkelson has been very involved with the redistricting process over the past few months, serving as the Republican Lead of the Minnesota House Redistricting Committee.
Here is the redistricting breakdown, as it relates to residents of the current House District 16B, which is comprised of communities in Brown, Redwood, and Renville counties.
A new House District 15B will now be comprised of Brown and Redwood counties in their entirety. Previously, the Redwood County cities of Lamberton, Revere, and Walnut Grove were placed in a district currently known as House District 22B. Torkelson represented these three cities and the surrounding townships when he was first elected in 2008 and is pleased to have the chance to represent them again. Additionally, the cities of Vesta and Milroy which were part of the district known as House District 16A will be included in the new District 15B.
The new district does not include any of Renville County. The cities of Morton and Franklin will rejoin the rest of Renville County in the new House District 16A. The new House District 15B will also add Butternut Valley and Cambria Townships, as well as a significant portion of Judson Township, from Blue Earth County.
“From a local perspective, I believe this map is very fair and is very similar to our current area of representation, Torkelson said.
The new district lines will take effect in January.