Redistricting 2022

Redistricting is like the ultimate jigsaw puzzle.

Every 10 years, following the U.S. Census, governments of all sizes are called upon to review, redraw and piece together their district maps to ensure equal representation for its residents.

Population shifts, particularly as people move from rural areas, have changed the face of the nation, and to a lesser extent, Rice County.

Following the Feb. 16 release of the state's new Congressional and Legislative district maps, Rice County officials will begin the process of redrawing the county's map in early March. The new Rice County Board of Commissioners district maps must be adopted by April 16, about 30 days before the filing period for federal, state and county offices opens.

Rice County's Redistricting Principles

The Rice County Board of Commissioner on Jan. 25, 2022 unanimously adopted the following resolution (# 22-012).

Wheras, county commissioner districts are the geographic area within a county in which a County commissioner must reside when nominated, elected for office, and while serving on the Board of commissioners (M.S. 103C.311 subd. 2); and

Wheras, when it appears after a federal census that the population of the districts of the County are not in accord with the standards set forth in state statute, state and local governments must reestablish the boundaries of their elective districts (M.S. 375.025 sub 1).

Now, therefore, be it resolved, that the Rice County Board of Commissioners will use the following principles for the adoption of a County Redistricting Plan.

1. Number of Districts
a. The county will have five commissioner districts with a single commissioner for each district

2. Relationship to Other Boundaries
a. Commissioner districts shall be bounded by town, municipal, ward and precinct lines

3. Population Deviation
a. Commissioner districts will meet the population deviation required by state statute, unless doing so is not possible because of the lack of authority to split precincts

4. Contiguous Territory
a. Each commissioner district shall be composed of contiguous territory

5. Minority Representation
a. Commissioner districts shall not be drawn with either the purpose or effect of denying or abridging the voting rights of any county citizen on account of race, ethnicity, or membership in a language minority group, either alone or in coalition with others

6. Regular and Compact in Form
a. Commissioner districts shall be as regular and compact in form as practicable, depending upon the geography of the county and adhering to the preceding principles

7. Dividing of Political Subdivisions
a. The County Redistricting Plan will avoid the dividing of political subdivisions unless necessary to meet the principle of equal population or to preserve communities of interest

8. Preserving Communities of Interest
a. Commissioner districts should attempt to preserve communities of interest, i.e. areas with similarities of interests, including but not limited to, racial, ethnic, geographic, social and cultural interests, where that can be done in compliance with the other principles

9. Incumbents
a. Commissioner districts shall not be drawn for the purpose of protecting or defeating incumbents and should not result in either undue incumbent protection or excessive incumbent conflicts

Priority of Principles
Districts must be drawn in accordance with principles 1 through 9. If districts cannot be drawn fully in accordance with the principles 1 through 9, a districting plan must give priority to the principles in the order in which they are listed, except when doing so would violate federal or state law.