Updated: Redistricting Means Some Changes For Roseville

New maps for Minnesota’s congressional and legislative districts were released Tuesday afternoon, keeping nearly all of Roseville in the Fourth Congressional District.  

But some changes are occuring at the state legislative level. The biggest is that Sen. John Marty and Sen. Mary Jo McGuire, both DFLers, are now in the same district. 

"It looks like Roseville will continue to have two state representatives – as we currently do (currently 54A and 54B changing to 66A and 42B),'' said Carolyn Curti, a commiunications specialist at Roseville City Hall. "It also looks like we will be in two different Senate Districts. We are currently in Senate District 54, but new maps look like District 42 and District 66."

Marty, long-time state senator for the Roseville area, could not be reached for comment. 

But House 54A colleague Mindy Greiling said the senate redistricting is bound to cause angst for the DFL. Greiling, a 10-term DFLer from Roseville, explained that McGuire faces having to decide if she wants to challenge Marty for the DFL nomination this spring or give way and possibly run for the House again. 

As for her House district, the new map has put Greiling in the same area as another incumbent DFLer, Alice Hausman. But Greiling won't be fighting for her seat since she recently announced plans to retire from the House at the end of the 2012 legislative session.

All things considered, Greiling said she believes the new House redistricting seems reasonable and fair.   

As for the Congressional redistricting, it appears it will have little practical impact. Incumbent Reps. Michele Bachmann, a Sixth District Republican from West Lakeland Township, and Betty McCollum, the Fourth District Democrat from St. Paul, will now share residency in a redrawn Fourth District. However, 

Bachmann has said she intends to run again for her Sixth District seat—Congressional office-holders aren't required to live in the districts they represent—eliminating any potential Battle Royale between the two in November. 

The new district maps are posted on the Minnesota Special Redistricting Panel website. All of the documents that have been submitted to the court so far, including the three sets of maps, are also available on that website.

Roseville Patch will continue to follow the redistricting as more information and reaction becomes available.