Can You Draw A Better Map Than A Legislator?

Redistricting. The very word conjures up images of smoke-filled back rooms, of dirty deals made to lock in one party's temporary legislative majority by redrawing lines on a map without respect to logic or community boundaries. 

Two groups, the fair elections watchdog Common Cause and the League of Women Voters, are trying to fight that, and they're calling Minneapolis residents for help in something they're calling Drawing a Better Minneapolis.

While the city's wards, school, and park board districts don't have nearly the same checkered reputation that congressional districts do—and with good reason: have you ever seen a ward that looked like this?—the effort is part of a broader effort to bring the average citizen into the redistricting process. The effort has so far not been embraced by political parties, but there's even a good chance it might get heard as part of the city's non-partisan, judge-appointed Charter Commission.

Here's how you can get involved:

1. Find out what's at stake.
2. Draw a map
   Common Cause has launched an online tool that allows people to draw their city council wards. We would be interested to work with your organization to draw their own map to submit to the redistricting group. The redistricting tool is available to anyone that wants to participate.
3. Submit written testimony
   The Minneapolis redistricting groups is looking for community input to help identify all the communities throughout Minneapolis.  This information will be used to help the group draw new political boundaries for city council.