Mark Knapp writes: > Does anyone know whether the Minnesota courts will require 2003 > municipal elections for Minneapolis in the wake of redistricting? > What is the history with the courts on this issue?
I don't know if the courts have ever ordered early elections...however, it is interesting to note that the new precinct lines legally go into effect Sept. 10 - I assume in time for the legislative primary. I was told today that the city council cannot change the ward map approved by the redistricting commission - they vote to establish the legal precinct lines that are first used in that Sept. 10 election. (Remember, right now the Commission's map is tentative; the final map is scheduled to be approved on April 12 at high noon.) Here's a weird question: what if a council member had to quit - a la Brian Herron - after Sept. 10? Would a replacement be selected/elected from the old ward - and wouldn't that be weird? Would you have to vote in your old precinct? Again, this doesn't answer Mark's question about the courts, but when you consider there are three more years until the elections catch up with the map, something seems out of whack. Personally, I favor a change - not necessarily this cycle - so that the city does it "state Senate style"...four-year terms with one extra election every 20 years to reflect Census results. We'll let *someone else* decided whether 2003 is needed, but then it would go 2005, 2009, 2013 (the new Census lines are drawn in 2012), 2017, 2021, 2023 (first 2-year term) and 2025 (second 2-year term) then back on track for 2029. That ought to get me to retirement, but the pattern repeats every 20 years. The council and mayor would still be elected together - there would just be one extra council election every 20 years. That's just the first of many reforms I would make. While I believe we need some Independence and Republican Party representation on the Redistricting Commission, giving those parties two guaranteed members (via the Charter Commission's "major party" requirement) and the Greens none (they got theirs from one of two council appointments) is ridiculous. I don't have a mechanism for ensuring this yet, but clearly, while no party should have a majority, council non-factors should not have 4 of 9 seats and truly independent (non-party-affiliated) people need at least one seat at the table. The next reform, I suppose. David Brauer Kingfield - Ward 10 until... _______________________________________ 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
