Minnesota
| Redistricting Process: Legislative | Population Change (since 2000): 384,446 |
| Legislature: Democratic | Seats: 8 |
| Governor: Mark Dayton (D) | Members of Congress: 3R, 5D |
| Party Control: Democratic |
2012: 52.8% Obama, 45.1% Romney |
Map Instructions:
Three maps are available for each state. Each has new district outlines in bold.
Click on each district on the map to see more information.
Click the arrow button to switch between districts that are close together.
New Districts by Party Representation
2010 Redistricting Changes: Minnesota Holds Its Eight Seats
Old Districts by Partisan Voting Index with New District Outlines
Old Districts by Party Representation with New District Outlines
Between 2000 and 2010, Minnesota experienced a population growth rate of approximately 7.8%, bringing the total population to 5,303,925, from 4,919,492. This growth rate of 7.8% is significant for the Midwest, but it fell behind South Dakota as the fastest growing state in the Midwest in the past decade. Most of the population is clustered in the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and St. Paul and their surrounding 11 counties. Even with the 7.8% increase, the state did not add to its eight congressional seats.
Though Minnesota did not have extreme changes in population, some notable demographic changes took place over the past decade. The White population grew by less than 3%, while Asian populations significantly grew by 52%, from 2.9% in 2000 to 4.0%. Other minority populations have increased even more. The Hispanic and Latino population of Minnesota increased by 74.5% from 2.9% in 2000 to 4.7% in 2010. The Black or African American populations experienced more modest changes, going from 4.1% of the population in 2000 to 6.2%. However, while minority populations have grown relatively rapidly over the past decade, the state has a whole still has a predominantly White population of 85.3%
Like in many other states, the redistricting process in Minnesota is performed by the state legislature. The legislation must be passed by both chambers and signed into law by the governor. If the legislation is vetoed,
The legislature approved Republican-backed new maps along party lines, but Governor Mark Dayton vetoed both the congressional and legislative plans, saying that they unfairly targeted incumbents and did not receive bipartisan support. Ultimately, Minnesota Chief Justice Lorie Gildea appointed a five-member panel of judges to redraw legislative and congressional boundaries. The judicial panel heard challenges over the redistricting process and on February 21, 2012, since the Legislature and Governor Dayton had not agreed on a plan, adopted maps drawn by the appointed panel.
First District
District one covers the southernmost portions of Minnesota. It is half urban and half rural, encompassing cities such as Rochester, Fairmont, and Worthington. Much like its predecessor, the district’s southern boundary runs along the entirety of the state’s southern border. The new First District’s northern border reaches up to include Nicollet, Le Sueur, and parts of Rice County, but now excludes Wabasha County. The new First District is slightly more diverse, as the minority population increased by 4.6%. Hispanic and African-American populations in the new district doubled: the number of Hispanic residents rose from 18,293 to over 36,000 and African-American numbers increased from 7,139 to 17,855. Although district one remains a primarily White district, significant demographic shifts have taken place.
Second District
Minnesota’s Second District is mostly urban and that includes Burnsville, Apple Valley, Lakeville, and other small cities to the south of St. Paul along Interstate-35. The new Second District no longer includes Carver and Le Sueur Counties to the east but extended further east to include Wabasha County. The district’s percentage of minorities doubled between 2001 and 2011. Most notably, the Hispanic population has grown from 2.6% to 5.4% over the past decade. The second district is 84.2% White.
Third District
District Three covers the western suburbs of Minneapolis. The district includes a number of counties, ranging from Dayton in the north to Bloomington in the south. The new Third District extends farther south to include Chaskin and Laketown. It is one of Minnesota’s wealthier congressional districts, with median housing value of $266,400 and per capita income of $39,975. The district has a relatively high percentage of racial minorities for Minnesota, of 18.3%, which grew from 11.4% in the former Third District. Blacks and Asians make up most of the district’s minority population, and have experienced the most growth of any minority group between redistricting commissions.
Fourth District
Minnesota’s Fourth District is almost entirely urban. It covers St. Paul and its suburbs to the north and west. Its eastern border follows along Lake St. Croix at the Minnesota-Wisconsin border. The primary difference between the old and new Second is that the new district extends all the way to the state’s border. Nearly 40% of the district’s residents are college graduates. Racial minorities make up 28.4% of the district’s population. The largest minority groups are Asians, Blacks, and Hispanics, in that order, with Asians accounting for 10.8% of the district’s population. The district’s minority population has grown by 6.1% since the 2001 redistricting, and Asians and Blacks have experienced the greatest proportionate growth.
Fifth District
Minnesota’s Fifth District is also very urban as it encompasses Minneapolis. It includes Brooklyn Center, Fridley, Crystal, Golden Valley, Hopkins, St. Louis Park, and Powderhorn, and has a population of approximately 662,961. A majority of the district is White, with nearly 65% of the district’s residents identifying as such. There are, however, still substantial Black and Hispanic populations, coming in at about 17% and 9%, respectively, of the district’s total population. Geographically, District 5 did not change substantially; the only notable change was the slight extension of the northern border above Crystal.
Sixth District
Minnesota’s Sixth District rests on the most densely populated portions of Minnesota just outside of the fifth district. It includes Saint Cloud, Andover, Watertown, and a number of other less densely populated cities and towns. The population, however, remains at roughly 662,990 due to the districts larger size. Its population is 91% white, with the largest minority population being Asian at just 2.7% of the district’s total population. District Six’s boundaries did change on the eastern border near Woodbury, where a large portion was ceded to the Fourth District.
Seventh District
Minnesota’s Seventh District is one of the state’s largest as it spans almost the entirety of the western border. It is extremely rural and includes a number of state parks as well a cities such as Marshall, Wilmar, Alexandria, Fergus Falls, and Detroit Lakes, amongst others. The total population is 662,991 and is roughly 91% White and 4% Hispanic. The district’s boundaries remain largely unchanged from those set in 2000.
Eighth District
Minnesota’s Eighth District is another one of the state’s largest districts as it spans from the middle of the state to the Canadian border in the north and the Great Lakes and Wisconsin in the east. The district includes a number of state parks and forests, as well as the cities of Grand Rapids, Duluth, and Brainerd, amongst others. Like all other Congressional districts in Minnesota, the Eighth District has a total population of approximately 662,991. The population is roughly 93% White, with the largest minority population being Indians at nearly 4%. Redistricting in 2010 only slightly affected the boundaries of this district from those that were established in 2000.
