Hearing set in Bemidji on state redistricting

Bemidji will host one of eight public hearings on redistricting to be held around the state in October, scheduled by the State Redistricting Panel.

The local hearing will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, in the board room at the Beltrami County Administration Building, 701 Minnesota Ave. N.W.

The panel will be chaired by Judge Wilhelmina Wright. It is set up to receive input into how communities want the lines to be drawn for new political divisions now that population changes have been set by the census.

If the Legislature and governor don't agree on new boundaries for state House and Senate seats and congressional districts, the panel will make the final decisions.

Other hearings will be held Oct. 5 in St. Paul, Oct. 6 in Minneapolis, Oct. 7 in Bloomington, Oct. 10 in Cloquet, Oct. 12 in Moorhead, Oct. 13 in St. Cloud and Oct. 14 in Mankato.