The County Board may choose to complete the redistricting with the assistance of the county election administrator, or it may choose to appoint a redistricting commission to perform the redistricting duties of the county. The Carver County Board has chosen to complete the redistricting with the assistance of the Carver County Election Administrator.  A three week notice to the public is required prior to adopting a redistricting plan.

• Commissioner districts may not split precincts
• Districts shall be as nearly equal in population as possible
• No district shall vary in population by more than 10% from the average of all districts
• Districts shall be composed of contiguous territory and as compact as possible
• A majority of the least populous districts shall not contain less than a majority of the county population

Statute requires commissioner districts to be as nearly equal in population as possible.  To calculate the allowed variance of 10%, the total county population is divided by the number of commissioner districts and that is multiplied by 10%.

106,922 (2020 population) divided by 5 (number of commissioner districts) = 21,384

10% variance equals 2,138; therefore, the population variance of the districts is 19,246 – 23,522

Minnesota law requires that there shall be a new election of commissioners in all districts at the next general election following redistricting. However, for districts whose change from redistricting is less than 5% of the average of all districts of the county, those commissioners need not stand for re-election unless their four year term is expiring. In Carver County, Commissioner Districts 2 and 4 will be on the ballot as those terms will be expiring. Districts 1, 3 and 5 may also be on the ballot due to the population change and/or shift following the redistricting of these districts.

The calculation for requiring an election is calculated by dividing the county population by the number of county commissioner districts and then multiplying by 5%.  The population change of a district is calculated by adding those individuals shifted out of the district to those individuals shifted into the district.  If the total shift is greater than the 5% threshold, then a new election is required for that district regardless of whether the current term is expiring. 

The county board shall determine the number of board members to be elected to two year terms and four year terms at the 2022 election. This is done to provide for staggered terms complying with Minnesota Statute.