HF 4376

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 03/04/2024 04:41pm

A bill for an act
relating to redistricting; requiring certain cities and counties to establish citizen
redistricting commissions to conduct redistricting; requiring certain counties to
have seven-member county boards; requiring certain cities to have wards; expanding
the time frame for voters to challenge redistricting plans; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2022, sections 204B.135, subdivisions 1, 3; 205.84, subdivision 1; 375.025,
subdivisions 1, 2; 375.056; 412.191, subdivision 1, by adding a subdivision;
412.631; proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapters 204B;
412.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204B.135, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Cities with wards.

new text begin (a) new text end Except as provided in this subdivision, a city that
elects its council members by wards may not redistrict those wards before the legislature
has been redistricted. The wards must be redistricted within 60 days after the legislature
has been redistricted or at least 19 weeks before the state primary election in the year ending
in two, whichever is first.

new text begin (b) new text end In a city of the first class electing council members by wards in a year ending in one,
the ward boundaries may be reestablished no later than 14 days before the first day to file
affidavits of candidacy for city council members. The ward boundaries may be modified
after the legislature has been redistricted for the purpose of establishing precinct boundaries
as provided in section 204B.14, subdivision 3.

new text begin (c) A city with a population greater than 50,000 people at the most recent decennial
census that elects its council members by wards must use a citizen commission for
redistricting as described in section 204B.136. Any home rule charter provision to the
contrary is void.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 204B.135, subdivision 3, is amended to read:

Subd. 3.

Voters rights.

(a) An eligible voter may apply to the district court for either a
writ of mandamus requiring the redistricting of wards or local government election districts
or to revise any plan adopted by the governing body responsible for redistricting of wards
or local government election districts.

(b) If a city adopts a ward redistricting plan at least 19 weeks before the primary in a
year ending in two, an application for revision of the plan that seeks to affect elections held
in the year ending in two must be filed with the district court within three weeks but no later
than 18 weeks before the state primary election in the year ending in two, notwithstanding
any charter provision. If a city adopts a ward redistricting plan less than 19 weeks before
either the municipal primary in a year ending in one or before the state primary in a year
ending in two, an application for revision of the plan that seeks to affect elections held in
that year must be filed with the district court no later than one week after the plan has been
adopted, notwithstanding any charter provision.

(c) If a plan for redistricting of a local government election district is adopted at least
15 weeks before the state primary election in a year ending in two, an application for revision
of the plan that seeks to affect elections held in the year ending in two must be filed with
the district court within three weeks but no later than 14 weeks before the state primary
election in the year ending in two. If a plan for redistricting of a local government election
district is adopted less than 15 weeks before the state primary election in a year ending in
two, an application for revision of the plan that seeks to affect elections held in the year
ending in two must be filed with the district court no later than one week after the plan has
been adopted.

new text begin (d) In any year that does not end in zero, one, or two, a qualified voter may apply to the
district court for a writ of mandamus requiring the governing body responsible for
redistricting of wards or local government election districts to revise the redistricting plan.
The application must be filed no later than 14 weeks before the start of the filing period for
the office in the local government in which the redistricting plan is being challenged.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 3.

new text begin [204B.136] REDISTRICTING OF LOCAL ELECTION DISTRICTS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin Counties required by section 375.025 and cities required
by section 204B.135 to use a citizen redistricting commission must establish a citizen
redistricting commission as provided by this section.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Definitions. new text end

new text begin (a) For purposes of this section, the following terms have the
meanings given.
new text end

new text begin (b) "Commission" means a citizen redistricting commission established pursuant to this
section.
new text end

new text begin (c) "Jurisdiction" means the home rule charter or statutory city or county that has
established the applicable commission.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Members; eligibility. new text end

new text begin (a) In order to be eligible to serve on a commission, a
person must be eligible to vote in the county or city being redistricted.
new text end

new text begin (b) The following persons are not eligible to serve on a commission:
new text end

new text begin (1) a current or former elected official at the federal, state, or local level or a person who
has held public office within the previous five years;
new text end

new text begin (2) a person under contract with, or who serves as a consultant or staff to, or who has
or has had an immediate family relationship with an elected federal, state, or local official
during the previous five years; or
new text end

new text begin (3) a person, or member of the person's immediate family, who is, or during the five
years immediately preceding the date of application has:
new text end

new text begin (i) been appointed to, elected to, or a candidate for federal, state, or local office in the
jurisdiction being redistricted;
new text end

new text begin (ii) served as an officer, employee, contractor, or paid consultant of a political party or
of the campaign committee of a candidate for elected federal, state, or local office;
new text end

new text begin (iii) served as an elected or appointed member of a political party state, county, or senate
district committee or a delegate to a national or state convention of a political party;
new text end

new text begin (iv) registered as a lobbyist, registrant, or client with the federal government under the
Lobbying Disclosure Act of 1995, as amended, or as a state or local lobbyist or principal
with the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board under chapter 10A; or
new text end

new text begin (v) been a paid congressional, legislative, or local government office staff member.
new text end

new text begin (c) An individual may not serve on more than one commission in a calendar year.
new text end

new text begin (d) For the purposes of this subdivision, a "member of a person's immediate family"
means a sibling, spouse, parent, or child, including half-, step-, and in-law relationships.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Application; appointment. new text end

new text begin (a) Each jurisdiction required to implement a
citizen commission must create an application for the commission and widely publicize the
application to the community. The application must be open to all registered voters who
meet the requirements of subdivision 3. The application process must be conducted in a
manner that promotes a qualified commissioner applicant pool that is large and reflective
of the diversity of the jurisdiction. Applications must be made available on the jurisdiction's
website and in the applicable city clerk or county auditor's office no later than August 1 in
the year ending in zero. The application period must remain open for at least 60 days. If at
the end of the application period there are not at least 30 qualifying applicants, then the
application process must be reopened for a minimum of an additional 30 days. If the
application process is reopened, the jurisdiction must conduct additional outreach to residents
to identify candidates.
new text end

new text begin (b) At a minimum, applications must include:
new text end

new text begin (1) the applicant's name;
new text end

new text begin (2) the applicant's address;
new text end

new text begin (3) the applicant's telephone number and email address;
new text end

new text begin (4) the applicant's age range;
new text end

new text begin (5) a statement from the applicant affirming the applicant satisfies the requirements of
subdivision 3;
new text end

new text begin (6) an oath affirming the applicant submits the application under oath declaring the
truthfulness of its contents under penalty of perjury;
new text end

new text begin (7) the applicant's demographic information, including but not limited to gender, race,
ethnicity, and year of birth;
new text end

new text begin (8) the applicant's length of residency in the jurisdiction;
new text end

new text begin (9) the applicant's professional background;
new text end

new text begin (10) a description of the applicant's past political activity; and
new text end

new text begin (11) a list of all political and civic organizations to which the applicant has belonged
within the five years prior to the application.
new text end

new text begin The application must also include optional fields for the applicant to provide the applicant's
sexual orientation and whether they have a seen or unseen disability.
new text end

new text begin (c) At the close of the application period, the city clerk or county auditor must review
applications and reject any applications that are incomplete or do not meet the qualification
requirements of subdivision 3. The city clerk or county auditor must maintain a record of
those applications that were rejected and the basis for the rejection.
new text end

new text begin (d) The city clerk or county auditor must provide all applications that were not rejected
and the record of the rejected applications to the chief judge of the district court in which
a majority of the population of the affected jurisdiction reside for review and selection. The
chief judge must appoint seven members unless the city or county, by resolution, determines
that the commission will be comprised of a larger number of members, provided that the
number of members is an odd number. To the greatest extent practicable, the chief judge
must select commission members to represent the geographic and demographic diversity
of the jurisdiction to provide a body representative of the population's interests. The chief
judge must select commissioners and notify the jurisdiction of the names of the
commissioners no later than January 15 in a year ending in one.
new text end

new text begin (e) After notice and a hearing, the commission may remove a commissioner for failure
to disclose conflicts of interest or inaccurate application information, failure to meet
requirements of this statute for communications by the commission, or for missing three
consecutive meetings. A vote of two-thirds of the remaining commission members is required
to remove a member.
new text end

new text begin (f) If a vacancy occurs on the commission, the chief judge may select a qualified candidate
from the original pool of applicants. If no qualified applicants from the original pool are
available, the city council or board of commissioners may nominate replacement
commissioners, if needed, for approval by the chief judge.
new text end

new text begin (g) The jurisdiction that is being redistricted must provide all resources and support to
the commission required to effectively perform redistricting. A home rule charter or statutory
city may utilize county resources and services where the required capabilities are not available
in the city.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Responsibilities. new text end

new text begin (a) Each commissioner must perform duties in a manner that
is impartial and reinforces public confidence in the integrity of the redistricting process.
Commissioners must disclose the presence of a conflict of interest, or raise a potential
conflict of interest when the agenda item is called, prior to the start of discussion or
deliberation.
new text end

new text begin (b) In addition to other duties prescribed by law, the commission must provide direction
to commission staff on drawing maps. Subject to subdivisions 9 and 10, the commission
must review and direct modifications of maps to commission staff.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Communications. new text end

new text begin (a) Commissioners must not direct, request, suggest, or
recommend to staff an interpretation of a districting principle or a change to a district
boundary, except during an open meeting of the commission.
new text end

new text begin (b) Commissioners and staff must not communicate with anyone outside the commission
regarding the content of a plan, except at an open meeting of the commission or when
soliciting or receiving written communications regarding a plan that is the subject of a public
meeting.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 7. new text end

new text begin Data. new text end

new text begin (a) The commission must use, at a minimum, census block data provided
for redistricting in accordance with Public Law 94-171 representing the entire population
of the jurisdiction being redistricted.
new text end

new text begin (b) The citizen commission must use population data provided by the secretary of state
that reflects incarcerated persons at their last known residence before incarceration.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 8. new text end

new text begin Districting principles. new text end

new text begin (a) Commissions must apply the following principles
when drawing redistricting plans:
new text end

new text begin (1) each county and city district must be as nearly equal in population as practicable.
The maximum population variance permitted is 2.5 percent of the mean population for all
districts or wards in a redistricting plan;
new text end

new text begin (2) districts must comply with the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments of the United
States Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965, as amended;
new text end

new text begin (3) districts must preserve the equal opportunity of racial, ethnic, and language minorities
to participate in the political process and to elect candidates of their choice, whether alone
or in coalition with others;
new text end

new text begin (4) districts must provide racial minorities and language minorities who constitute less
than a voting-age majority of a district with an opportunity to substantially influence the
outcome of an election;
new text end

new text begin (5) each district must be convenient and contiguous. A district is convenient if it allows
reasonable ease of travel within the district. Contiguity by water is sufficient if the water is
not a serious obstacle to travel within the district. A district with areas that touch only at a
point is not contiguous. City plans may be noncontiguous to the extent required to incorporate
noncontiguous city areas;
new text end

new text begin (6) districts must preserve reservation lands of a federally recognized American Indian
Tribe to the extent practicable. Noncontiguous portions of a federally recognized American
Indian Tribe's reservation lands must be included in the same district if practicable, and, if
not, must not be divided more than necessary;
new text end

new text begin (7) districts must minimize the division of identifiable communities of interest. A
community of interest may include a racial, ethnic, or linguistic group or any group with
shared experiences or concerns, including but not limited to geographic, regional, social,
cultural, historic, socioeconomic, occupational, trade, or transportation interests. Communities
of interest do not include relationships with political parties, incumbents, or candidates. A
political subdivision is not, by itself, a community of interest;
new text end

new text begin (8) districts must be reasonably compact. More than one measure must be used to evaluate
compactness of districts; and
new text end

new text begin (9) for counties only, districts must minimize the division of cities or towns, except when
a city or town's territory is not contiguous or the known population of an affected city or
town remains wholly located within a single district.
new text end

new text begin (b) If districts cannot be drawn fully in accordance with all principles in paragraph (a),
priority must be given to the principles in the order in which they are listed, except when
doing so would violate federal or state law.
new text end

new text begin (c) Districts must not be drawn to purposely favor or disfavor any political party,
candidate, or incumbent. Districts must not be drawn using the location of incumbents' or
candidates' residences.
new text end

new text begin (d) Whenever possible, district boundaries must be created in conjunction with the
establishment of precinct boundaries.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 9. new text end

new text begin Meetings. new text end

new text begin (a) The commission is subject to chapter 13D. Notwithstanding any
requirement to the contrary in chapter 13, the commission must provide public notice at
least seven days in advance of any public meeting. Draft agendas must be published at least
72 hours prior to each public meeting. Meeting notices and agendas must be posted on the
commission's website and published in local news sources and on social media.
new text end

new text begin (b) Notices and agendas must be provided in all languages required for voting materials
under the Voting Rights Act of 1965, United States Code, title 52, section 10503, in the
jurisdiction in which the public meeting is scheduled.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commission must make reasonable efforts to schedule meetings in the evenings,
on weekends, and at other times that most residents of the jurisdiction are able to attend and
at locations readily accessible to a significant number of residents.
new text end

new text begin (d) Whenever practicable, the commission must use technology that allows for real-time
virtual participation and feedback for all meetings.
new text end

new text begin (e) A quorum is two-thirds of the members of the commission. A quorum must be present
to conduct the business of the commission and hold public meetings.
new text end

new text begin (f) The commission must comply with chapter 13 and section 138.17. All audio-visual
recordings of commission public meetings must be maintained on the commission's website
for 11 years.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 10. new text end

new text begin Timeline; adoption. new text end

new text begin (a) No later than February 1 of any year ending in one,
the jurisdiction being redistricted must establish an online means for residents to provide
input to the commission. Notice of the means for providing input must be posted on the
applicable city or county website.
new text end

new text begin (b) Before drawing maps, the commission must hold a public meeting for residents to
provide public input for consideration in developing a district plan. Maps must be available
for public review and comment for at least seven days before a public hearing. The meeting
must be at a time and location generally accessible to the public.
new text end

new text begin (c) The commission must hold a public meeting on proposed maps before final adoption
of any maps. Proposed maps must be posted on the applicable city or county website for at
least seven calendar days prior to the meeting. The commission must give seven days or
more notice of the meeting. The commission must receive public input on the proposed
maps at this meeting.
new text end

new text begin (d) At least 14 days after the meeting described in paragraph (c), the commission must
hold a final public meeting for final adoption of the maps. At least seven days before the
meeting, the final maps must be posted on the applicable city or county website.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 11. new text end

new text begin Plan approval. new text end

new text begin Before a plan may go into effect, it must be approved by a
majority of the members of the commission. The commission must complete the plan in
accordance with the applicable timeline in section 204B.135, subdivision 1 or 2.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 12. new text end

new text begin Expiration. new text end

new text begin The commission expires 45 days after the redistricting plan has
been approved by the commission, except if any legal challenges to the plan have been filed
with a court of competent jurisdiction prior to the expiration of the 45-day period. If one or
more legal challenge has been filed, then the commission expires upon final resolution of
the last remaining legal challenge.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 13. new text end

new text begin Voter's rights. new text end

new text begin An eligible voter may challenge the maps adopted by the
citizen commission in accordance with section 204B.135, subdivision 3, or 375.025,
subdivision 2. The court may order the citizen commission to correct errors in the plan or
reconstitute the previous commission. If it is not practicable to reconstitute the previous
commission, the court may require a new commission to be appointed as provided in
subdivision 1.
new text end

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 205.84, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

General provisions.

(a) new text begin Except as provided by section 204B.136, new text end in a
city electing council members by wards, wards shall be as equal in population as practicable
and each ward shall be composed of compact, contiguous territory. Each council member
shall be a resident of the ward for which elected, but, except as otherwise provided by
paragraph (b), a change in ward boundaries does not disqualify a council member from
serving for the remainder of a term.

(b) Notwithstanding any home rule charter provision to the contrary, in a city of the first
class where council members are elected by ward to serve for four years to terms that are
not staggered, if the population of any ward changes by five percent or more, all council
members must be elected to new terms at the first municipal general election after ward
boundaries are redefined under subdivision 2; provided, however, that if no municipal
general election would otherwise occur in the year ending in "2" or the year ending in "3,"
a municipal general election must be held in one of those years.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 375.025, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Standards.

new text begin (a) Except as provided by section 204B.136, new text end the redistricting
plan in use in a county shall be used until a new plan is adopted in accordance with this
section. Each county shall be divided into as many districts numbered consecutively as it
has members of the county board. Commissioner districts shall be bounded by town,
municipal, ward, or precinct lines. Each district shall be composed of contiguous territory
as regular and compact in form as practicable, depending upon the geography of the county
involved and shall be as nearly equal in population as possible. No district shall vary in
population more than ten percent from the average for all districts in the county, unless the
result forces a voting precinct to be split. A majority of the least populous districts shall
contain not less than a majority of the population of the county. deleted text begin A county may be redistricted
by the county board after each federal census.
deleted text end

new text begin (b) A county with a population of 50,000 people or more at the time of the federal
decennial census must use an independent citizen commission for redistricting as described
in section 204B.136.
new text end

new text begin (c) new text end When it appears after a federal census that the districts of deleted text begin the deleted text end new text begin a new text end county new text begin with a
population of less than 50,000 people new text end are not in accord with the standards set forth in this
subdivision, the county deleted text begin shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end be redistricted by the county board new text begin or a redistricting
commission if one is appointed. Redistricting must be completed new text end within the times set in
section 204B.135, subdivision 2. Before acting to redistrict, the county board, or a
redistricting commission if one is appointed, deleted text begin shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end publish three weeks' notice of its
purpose, stating the time and place of the meeting new text begin or meetings new text end where the matter will be
considered, in the newspaper having the contract to publish the commissioners' proceedings
for the county for the current year new text begin and on the county board's website, if applicable new text end .

Sec. 6.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 375.025, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Voters rights.

new text begin (a) new text end Any qualified voter may apply to the district court of the
county for a writ of mandamus deleted text begin (a) deleted text end new text begin (1) new text end requiring the county to be redistricted if the county
board has not redistricted the county within the time specified in subdivision 1, or deleted text begin (b) deleted text end new text begin (2) new text end
to revise the redistricting plan. Any application for revision of a redistricting plan filed with
the county auditor that seeks to affect elections held in a year ending in two must be filed
with the district court no later than one week before the first day to file for office in the year
ending in "2." The district court may direct the county board to show cause why it has not
redistricted the county or why the redistricting plan prepared by it should not be revised.
On hearing the matter it may allow the county board additional time in which to redistrict
the county or to correct errors in the redistricting plan. If it appears to the court that the
county board has not been sufficiently diligent in performing its redistricting duties, the
court may appoint a redistricting commission to redistrict the county in accordance with
the standards set forth in subdivision 1 and any other conditions the court shall deem
advisable and appropriate. If a redistricting commission is appointed, the county board shall
be without authority to redistrict the county.

new text begin (b) A qualified voter may apply to the district court of the county for a writ of mandamus
to revise the county plan after the date established in paragraph (a). The application must
be filed with the district court no later than 14 weeks before the filing period election for
which the claim applies.
new text end

Sec. 7.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 375.056, is amended to read:

375.056 SEVEN-MEMBER BOARD.

new text begin (a) new text end Any county with a population of 100,000 or more according to the last federal
decennial census may by resolution of its county board provide for a seven-member board
of county commissioners. A certified copy of the resolution of the county board of any
county choosing to exercise this option deleted text begin shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end be transmitted to the secretary of state.

new text begin (b) Any county with a population of 175,000 or more according to the last federal
decennial census must, by resolution of its county board, provide for a seven-member board
of county commissioners if there is not already a seven-member board. A certified copy of
the resolution of the county board must be transmitted to the secretary of state. The resolution
must be adopted prior to redistricting in accordance with section 375.025.
new text end

new text begin (c) new text end The county commissioner districts deleted text begin shall deleted text end new text begin must new text end be redistricted deleted text begin by the county board deleted text end in
accordance with section 375.025.

Sec. 8.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 412.191, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Composition.

The city council in a standard plan city shall consist of
the mayor, the clerk, and the three or five council members. In optional plan cities, except
those cities having a larger council under Minnesota Statutes 1994, section 412.023,
subdivision 4, the council shall consist of the mayor and the four council members new text begin , except
as required in subdivision 6 new text end . A majority of all the members shall constitute a quorum although
a smaller number may adjourn from time to time.

Sec. 9.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 412.191, is amended by adding a subdivision to
read:

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Statutory cities with wards. new text end

new text begin Optional Plan B cities with populations greater
than 50,000 in the most recent decennial census must establish a city council with wards in
accordance with section 412.635.
new text end

Sec. 10.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 412.631, is amended to read:

412.631 COMPOSITION OF COUNCIL.

In any city operating under Optional Plan B, the council shall new text begin be composed of a mayor
and four or six council members new text end , except as provided in repealed sections 412.023, subdivision
4, and 412.571, deleted text begin be composed of a mayor and four or six council members deleted text end new text begin or when a council
is organized by wards as is required by section 412.635 new text end .

Sec. 11.

new text begin [412.635] STATUTORY OPTIONAL PLAN B CITY WITH CITY WARDS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Establishment. new text end

new text begin (a) The council must consist of four to seven council
members.
new text end

new text begin (b) Each ward must have an equal number of members, and the council may include
members elected at-large. The number of council members elected at-large must not exceed
the number elected by ward.
new text end

new text begin (c) All council members serve four-year terms.
new text end

new text begin (d) If there are an even number of council members, half of the council terms will expire
every two years. If two-member wards are chosen, then one council position from each
ward will be on the ballot at each regular election. If there are an odd number of council
members, the number of members elected will be divided so that the additional member is
included in the second regular election after implementation.
new text end

new text begin (e) The plan must include the following:
new text end

new text begin (1) number of wards;
new text end

new text begin (2) number of council members per ward;
new text end

new text begin (3) number of at-large council members; and
new text end

new text begin (4) years of first reelection for each council position.
new text end

new text begin (f) Incumbent members of the council continue to serve until the expiration of their
current term or upon completion of elections to fill seats for the reconfigured city council,
whichever comes first.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Implementation. new text end

new text begin (a) The city council must submit to the voters a proposed
council plan at the next regular election if the most recent census indicates the city population
exceeds the requirements of section 412.191, subdivision 6. Only one plan may be submitted
at any one election. For cities with odd-numbered year elections, initial implementation of
wards must be completed before the first day to file for city office for the 2027 general
election. For cities with even-numbered year elections, initial implementation of wards must
be completed before the first day to file for city office for the 2028 general election.
Subsequent implementation of wards following the next census must be completed before
the first day to file for city office for the general election in the year ending in three for
cities with odd-numbered year elections or the year ending in four for cities with
even-numbered year elections.
new text end

new text begin (b) If a plan is not approved by voters at the next regular city election, a special election
must be held on a new ward plan at least one year before the next regular election.
new text end

new text begin (c) If a ward plan is not approved by voters 50 weeks before the next regular election
after the first opportunity in paragraph (a), a ward structure will be established having four
single-member wards and a single at-large council member.
new text end

new text begin (d) Once a city ward structure is approved by voters, the city must be redistricted in
accordance with section 204B.136 no later than 26 weeks before the date of the next primary
election.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Three-year minimum; revision. new text end

new text begin At any time more than three years after the
adoption of a plan under this section, the city council, or upon petition signed by voters
equal in number to at least 15 percent of the electors voting at the last previous city election,
may submit to the voters at a regular or special election a proposal to change the city ward
structure. After the ward structure is revised, new districts must be established if required
by section 204B.135, subdivision 1, in accordance with section 204B.136.
new text end

Sec. 12. new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE.
new text end

new text begin This act is effective the day following final enactment, except that no city or county is
required to perform redistricting as required by this act until after the 2030 decennial census
unless ordered to do so by a court pursuant to section 2, and except a statutory city required
to establish city wards as required by Minnesota Statutes, section 204B.135, subdivision 1,
paragraph (c), must comply with the timeline in that section.
new text end