A simple solution for redistricting will avoid an important complicated problem - lack of minority representation. Although I am not real familiar with the history of how the wards were formed, there seems to have been some effort in a couple of wards to ensure re-election of white candidates. Ward 5 apparently added some downtown luxury housing (and has also constructed a lot of near-downtown city-subsidized luxury housing). Ward 3 seems to include just enough of space to the west of the river to reduce an African American majority in Ward 5 without threatening the white majority in Ward 3. South Minneapolis has only elected one minority representative, although I am not sure if that is related to the boundaries since the area is generally very diverse. In any event, this issue should not be excluded from the decision-making.
Jordan Kushner Ward 8 Tony Hill wrote: > > Here is a plan for redistricting Minneapolis ward boundaries. The > ideal ward population is 29,432 (382,618 / 13). The permitted deviation > is 1471 (29,432 * 5%). The only wards in need of redistricting are 1, > 2, 6, 11, and 12, so my plan leaves the others the way they are, with > the exception of Ward 9. > > Ward 1 is 2483 people shy of the ideal and Ward 2 has 4005 too many. > Simply move 2704 people in that part of the Como neighborhood not > already in Ward 1 into the ward (that part of Ward 2 N of BNSF and the > five square blocks north of 8th St. SE between 10th & 15th Aves.) This > brings both wards within the permissible range. > > Moving population from Ward 6 to Wards 11 and 12 is a bit trickier since > these wards are not contiguous. However, Ward 9 bounds all of them, and > it can work as a conduit. > > Ward 6 is 3286 above the ideal. Simply move 1878 people from the area > south of 24th Street and east of 18th Avenue into the Ward 9, and Ward 6 > falls within range. > > Ward 12 is 2079 short of the ideal. Moving 659 people from that part of > Ward 9 east of 41st Avenue into Ward 12 brings Ward 12 within range. > (Also, this makes Wards 2 and 12 contiguous, expanding possibilities for > the next round.) > > Ward 11 is 2964 short of the ideal. Moving 1699 people from the area > bounded by 40th and 43rd streets and Cedar and 22nd avenues from Ward 9 > to Ward 11 will bring both wards into line. > > Here is the final result of these changes: > > 1 29653 > 2 30734 > 3 29806 > 4 30744 > 5 28749 > 6 30841 > 7 29624 > 8 29771 > 9 29608 > 10 28578 > 11 28167 > 12 28012 > 13 28331 > > While these shifts can be refined greatly to reduce the disparaties > between wards even further, this plan illustrates that a minimal-change > redistricting is possible. > > Adoption of this plan should save the expense of convening the > reapportionment commission. How about donating the savings to keep the > City Hall bells ringing? ;) > > Tony Hill > Logan Park > > _______________________________________ > Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy > Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: > http://e-democracy.org/mpls _______________________________________ Minneapolis Issues Forum - A Civil City Civic Discussion - Mn E-Democracy Post messages to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe, Unsubscribe, Digest option, and more: http://e-democracy.org/mpls
