House Approves Redesign For MN Congressional Lines

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) - A bill altering boundaries for Minnesota's eight congressional districts to account for population shifts has passed the state House.

The GOP-authored proposal was approved Friday on a 71-61 vote.

The new map would lump all of northern Minnesota into one district and create three districts that stretch across the state.

Redistricting occurs every 10 years after the census produces new population figures. The process typically spills into the courts and this round is headed that way, too, given Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton's coolness toward the GOP map.

Democratic Rep. Melissa Hortman charged the congressional map was "redrawn in favor of Republicans."

Republican Rep. Sarah Anderson defended the alignments. In particular, she said having a district spanning the Canadian border was preferable to one running from Canada to the Iowa border.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press.  All Rights Reserved.)