Men and women in suits roamed the corridors. Briefcases laid open at desks and tables. Unfolded laptops illuminated the faces of those buried behind their screens. Documents waiting to be annotated were sprawled about.
Suits, briefcases, laptops, and documents are a frequent sight at the N.D. state capitol; however, these common items have occupied the Rough Rider room for a rather uncommon reason.
North Dakota’s legislative branch has been conducting its decennial, post-census tradition of redistricting throughout the month of September. Though this task is tended to less often than others, it is just as important. Its implications can have a lasting impact on state wide politics for years to come.
Redistricting is the act of redrawing the political lines that make up the districts of the legislative body. In North Dakota, this occurs through the committee process by the North Dakota Redistricting Committee. Throughout the process, the Redistricting Committee uses demographic data provided by the U.S. Census to create boundaries that represent the state as fairly as possible.
Redistricting follows a principle of “one person, one vote,” meaning legislatures try their best to keep all districts relatively the same population. As North Dakota continues to flock towards urban areas, this task will prove more difficult.
According to data released from the U.S. Census Bureau, metropolitan areas in the state showed massive growth in population. Around 60% of North Dakotans live in the city. Nearly a quarter of the state now resides in Cass County alone. Shifts in urban population will create new districts in Fargo-West Fargo and in Bismarck. Other metros, such as Minot and Grand Forks, can see changes as well.
Population also swelled in the Bakken oil patch. McKenzie county, home to Watford City, had the largest increase of population by a county in the whole United States, growing by 131%. Other counties in the oil patch, such as Williams and Dunn, had population jumps. New districts can pop up in these areas as well. On the flip side, rural areas can see larger districts. As population in these areas becomes more scarce, districts will have to compensate for the lack of density.
The changes in districts issued by the Redistricting Committee will be implemented once approved by the whole legislature in a special session. If approved, voters during the midterm elections in 2022 will be casting ballots for representatives in the newly drawn districts. These districts will stay in place until the next redistricting committee meets in ten years.
The effects of the new districts can have massive implications on politics around the state. Even though the boundaries are only in place for ten years, the policies implemented in that decade can have a lasting impact on communities in the state.
Communities often impacted by redistricting are minority groups. In North Dakota, tribal groups are often discussed during redistricting. Tribes have historically been underrepresented in state politics. Other groups, such as immigrant groups, which have grown in population over the last decade, can have a larger voice in the future.
Students will also have a larger voice in the future. As more students flock to colleges and universities in the state, the political make-up of the legislature can shift, and we can see younger faces participating in the capitol.
Bismarck State College is projected to stay within District 35. For more information on Redistricting or to view proposed redistricting maps, visit the state legislative branch on their website at legis.nd.gov.
(Find on Page 3 of Mystician 83.2)
The North Dakota Capitol Building in Bismarck rises above a grouping of trees. Inside, legislatures are working on legislative redistricting.
(Credit: Zachary Weiand)
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