SF2026

This bill establishes districting principles for congressional and legislative redistricting in Minnesota, ensuring fairness and compliance with constitutional requirements. Key provisions include:

1. Corrections and Clarifications: Ensures that redistricting plans cover all areas, eliminate duplication, and resolve ambiguities in district boundaries to maintain population balance and legal compliance.

2. Districting Principles:

   • Equal Population: Congressional districts should be as equal in population as possible, while legislative districts must remain within a 3% deviation from the ideal population.
   • Minority Representation: Districts must allow racial, ethnic, and language minorities an equal opportunity to participate in elections and influence outcomes.
   • Contiguity: Districts must be contiguous, with water-contiguity allowed unless it hinders travel.
   • Tribal Reservations: Federal tribal reservations should generally remain undivided unless necessitated by non-contiguous geography.
   • Communities of Interest: Minimize divisions of communities sharing common interests, excluding political affiliations.
   • Political Subdivisions: Minimize divisions of counties, cities, school districts, and towns.

3. Prohibition on Favoritism: Redistricting plans may not intentionally favor or disadvantage any candidate or incumbent.

4. Proportional Partisan Representation: The proportion of districts favoring a political party must align with Minnesota’s historic statewide partisan voting preferences, with a deviation limit of three percentage points.

The bill aims to promote fair and impartial redistricting, preventing gerrymandering and ensuring districts reflect Minnesota’s political landscape equitably.