West central Minnesota legislative districts see changes after redistricting maps released

WILLMAR — Voters across the region will need to relearn their legislative districts after the new maps were released Tuesday.

To evenly distribute the state's population after the 2020 census, the state's eight congressional districts, 67 Minnesota Senate and 134 Minnesota House districts had to be redrawn. A city or county that was in one district Monday might have found itself in a completely new one on Tuesday.

The region saw changes in both the Minnesota Senate and House districts.

Each Senate district in Minnesota, designated by a number, is made up of two House districts that are designated by the same number with an A or B.

More on Minnesota's 2022 redistricting:

Minnesota

Redistricting changes Minnesota's political map this year

The maps will set the new boundaries for Minnesota's eight Congressional districts, 67 Senate districts and 134 House districts, and will be in effect for the 2022 elections.

February 15, 2022 11:12 AM

 · 

By  Alex Derosier

Minnesota

Minnesota has a new set of voting maps for 2022. Here's how they took shape

A look at the changes in the new voting maps and how judges say they drew them.

February 15, 2022 03:40 PM

 · 

By  Dana Ferguson

All reservations will now be included in 8th congressional district

The western expansion of the district means the White Earth Band and Red Lake Nation join five other Anishinaabe bands' reservations already in the district.

Most of what was Senate District 17 is now District 16 — which includes all of Kandiyohi, Chippewa and Renville counties, including the townships of Birch Cooley and Beaver Falls and the city of Morton. Also added to the district was the western half and a portion of north central Meeker County, including the cities of Litchfield, Cosmos and Watkins.

At the House level, District 16A will represent all of Chippewa and Renville counties, the portion of Meeker County within the new Senate District 16 and the southeastern corner of Kandiyohi County, including the city of Lake Lillian and the townships of Lake Lillian, East Lake Lillian, Lake Elizabeth and Fahlun.

House District 16B covers the rest of Kandiyohi County, including the cities of Willmar, New London, Spicer, Prinsburg, Atwater, Kandiyohi and Raymond.

The northeastern corner of Meeker, with the city of Kingston, is part of Senate District 29 and House District 29A. Portions of central and southeast Meeker County, including the cities of Darwin and Dassel along with the area around Forest City, are part of Senate District 17 and House District 17A.

All of Swift County has now been placed in Senate District 12. Lac qui Parle, Yellow Medicine, Lyon, Redwood, Brown and a portion of Blue Earth counties make up District 15. The city of Paynesville is now in Senate District 13 and House District 13A.

Every representative and senator is up for election this year due to the redistricting.