This is a recording of our live program from March 30, 2021. View to explore the complicated elements of redistricting with our guest speaker Paul Huffman, Redistricting Coordinator for the League of Women Voters Minnesota. Paul gave participants the latest updates on the 2020 census outcome, which dovetails into the current effort to complete the state’s mandatory redrawing of political districts. This legislature-driven process has been shifted to the Courts after the last several censuses, leading to uncertainty and a lack of transparency, and a concern over fairness every ten years. The creation of districts affects all citizens, and Huffman discussed the history of this process in the US and Minnesota, give an update on current litigation and the League’s position on redistricting, and talk through what has happened thus far in the 2021 Minnesota Legislature. At the end, Huffman shared concrete steps Minnesotans can take to promote a more predictable and fair process.

Paul Huffman has been the LWV Minnesota Redistricting Coordinator since June 2019. As a volunteer member of the state office staff, he works with national and state organizations to provide resources, tools, and information for LWV Minnesota, local leagues and members, assisting them in census and redistricting efforts. Paul is also the LWV Woodbury/Cottage Grove Area (WCGA) Voter Service Director and a member of the OurMapsMN Redistricting Campaign Steering Committee. He was a nuclear submarine officer in the US Navy, and retired from the US Naval Reserves. He retired from Xcel Energy in 2019 as General Manager Nuclear Fleet Operations. He has a B.S. in Chemistry, and MA in National Security Affairs, and an MBA.

More information about redistricting: League of Women Voters Minnesota People Powered Fair Maps https://www.lwvmn.org/fair-district-maps

Redistricting Stories

1. This article discusses why people should care about redistricting  Why should we care? - All About Redistricting (lls.edu)
2. This is an article about the results of implementing a citizen advisory commission to the Minneapolis City Charter Commission for redistricting in Minneapolis:  Voters bring more racial, ethnic diversity to Minneapolis City Council | MPR News
3. Read this article on how Partisan Gerrymandering hurts children:  How Partisan Gerrymandering Hurts Kids - Center for American Progress

Redistricting Basics

1. This is a good video on the basics of redistricting  Gerrymandering (video) | Khan Academy
2. This is an article from Brennan Center on some basic questions about redistricting 7 Things to Know About Redistricting | Brennan Center for Justice
3. Ballotpedia, “Understanding Redistricting”, 2017  Understanding Redistricting - YouTube
4. League of Women Voters (LWV) Minnesota People Powered Fair Maps^TM (PPFM^TM) Issue Summary  People Powered Fair Maps™ — League of Women Voters Minnesota (LWVMN)
5. Redistricting in Saint Paul MN, Redistricting | Saint Paul, Minnesota (stpaul.gov) , This is the website for the city of Saint Paul on Redistricting of city council wards

To Learn More or Take Action

1. LWV Minnesota PPFM Action Kit People Powered Fair Maps Action Kit — League of Women Voters Minnesota (LWVMN)
2. Minnesota Reference Library Resource Guide, “Overview of Reapportionment and Redistricting in Minnesota”, January 2020, Redistricting Overview - Minnesota Issues Resources Guides (mn.gov)
3. This is a high level overview of how the organization, roles and process for redistricting in Minnesota.  This includes many studies and presentations by legislative staff over the years on redistricting in Minnesota.
4. MN Legislative Coordinating Committee (LCC) Redistricting 2020 Resources LCC-GIS (leg.mn)
5. The Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission is the resource to the Legislature supporting state level redistricting.  This website provide references and resources for state redistricting.
6. 2011Minnesota Redistricting Guide Microsoft Word - 2011 Redistricting Guide Final_rev111025.doc (mn.gov) This document explains in detail how redistricting is the requirements for redistricting at all levels of government in Minnesota and includes references to applicable sections of state statute.  A 2021 edition is in development and will be ready in the next several months.
7. LWV MN Action Alert program Subscribe — League of Women Voters Minnesota (LWVMN)
8. Minnesota Legislative Coordinating Commission (LCC) Geographic Information Service (GIS) Population and District Maps  LCC-GIS (leg.mn) This site provides maps of existing districts as well as variation in population since the 2010 Census to indicate how Congressional and Legislative districts may change in 2021.
9. Minnesota House Research Department Local Government Redistricting 2020 Timeline (February 2020) Local Government Redistricting 2020 (state.mn.us) This provides the timeline for local (city, county, school district) redistricting in Minnesota based on Census and state redistricting timelines and statute.
10. “All About Redistricting”; Home Page - All About Redistricting (lls.edu); This website, maintained by Professor Justin Levitt of Loyola University Law School in Los Angeles, is one of the best all-around sites for understanding and following redistricting reform. It is particularly helpful for tracking lawsuits related to redistricting, and serves as a portal to many other useful sites.
11. National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), “Redistricting Systems: A 50-State Overview”, June 2020; Redistricting Systems: A 50-State Overview (ncsl.org) This is a good non-partisan national overview on redistricting in the U.S.
12. National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), “Public Input and Redistricting”, 9/9/2019; Public Input and Redistricting (ncsl.org) This document discusses practices in different states to provide opportunities for public input and participation in redistricting.