Now that Minnesota knows the basics of its 2000 Census data, efforts to redraw the state’s legislative districts will gain some serious momentum in the goal to make every vote equal.

Monday, April 09, 2001

Now that Minnesota knows the basics of its 2000 Census data, efforts to redraw the state’s legislative districts will gain some serious momentum in the goal to make every vote equal.

The biggest challenge of this task will be keeping partisan politics to a minimum. Note that we say "minimum" because it’s impossible to take politics out of the mix. After all, the people being asked to do the redrawing are politicians.

Still, Minnesota has a better chance than other states to minimize the politics because of its tripartisan government – a Republican House, a Democratic Senate and an Independence governor.

Legislators should recognize that and strive to create a redistricting plan that has these priorities:

n One that represents the flood of residents into suburbs and regional centers but doesn’t mute the voices in rural Minnesota.

n One that makes it more realistic for average residents to run for and win a seat in the Legislature.

With the Twin Cities’ suburbs now home to 45 percent of the state’s population, it will be very challenging to balance districts so that rural populations maintain adequate representation.

The good news this time is that an 11-member commission has been working on the process for months, and Supreme Court Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz stands ready to appoint a three-judge panel should differences arise.

Lawmakers, though, would best serve Minnesotans if they did not have to go to court to redraw political boundaries. And the best chance of making that happen is to set politics aside, or at least don’t make it the top priority.