The U.S. Census and its impact on legislative redistricting and congressional reapportionment will be the topic of a virtual Rosenmeier Center forum at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 6.
Speakers will be the two lead Minnesota lawmakers on this topic: Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer, R-Big Lake, and Rep. Mike Nelson, DFL-Brooklyn Park.
Anyone interested may listen to "The U.S. Census: Its Impact on Legislative Redistricting and Congressional Reapportionment" by requesting a link at Rosenmeierforum@gmail.com. The link will also allow participants to ask questions of the speakers. Participants may log in shortly before the 7 p.m. start time.
Minnesota is the only state in the Midwest not to have lost a congressional seat since 1960 but is in danger of losing one this year, Steve Wenzel, executive director of the Rosenmeier Center, said in a news release. Since census data is not expected to be released by early April, plans call for a second forum on this topic when census figures are complete.
"The Rosenmeier forum on legislative redistricting and congressional reapportionment is a once-in-a-decade event that is probably among the most significant political issues because of its impact on state government and Minnesota's representation in Congress,” Wenzel said in the news release. "It may be telling how changes in our U.S. Census data will affect the drawing of new legislative districts and will both start and end the political careers of state and federal legislators."
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Kiffmeyer, a former Minnesota secretary of state and state representative, is currently chair of the State Government Finance and Policy and Elections Committee. She grew up in Pierz.
Nelson is chair of the state Government Finance and Elections Committee. He was first elected to the House in 2002.
The Rosenmeier Center for State and Local Government was formed in 1989, in recognition of Sen. Gordon Rosenmeier’s 30-year contribution as a Minnesota state legislator from Little Falls. He authored legislation, which created the state Planning Agency, the Department of Corrections, the Pollution Control Agency, and the Brainerd Regional Human Services Center.
The Rosenmeier Center is based at Central Lakes College in Brainerd.
