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The latest on the Key Bridge collapse, New York puts forth legislation to get clean energy projects on the grid and Wisconsin and other states join a federal summer food program to help feed kids across the country.

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Republicans float conspiracy theories on the collapse of Baltimore's Key Bridge, South Carolina's congressional elections will use a map ruled unconstitutional, and the Senate schedules an impeachment trial for Homeland Secretary Mayorkas.

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Historic wildfires could create housing and health issues for rural Texans, a Kentucky program helps prison parolees start a new life, and descendants of Nicodemus, Kansas celebrate the Black settlers who journeyed across the 1870s plains seeking self-governance.

Women Candidates Caught Up in Fallout from New MN Political Maps

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Monday, March 7, 2022   

Two years ago, a record number of women were elected to serve in Minnesota's Legislature, but new political boundaries stand to shake up their presence at the State Capitol.

Last month, a special court panel created new legislative and congressional districts based on the latest census data, after lawmakers failed to agree on their own redistricting plans.

The court went with the "least change" approach among several suggested maps, which created many incumbent pairings, where incumbent lawmakers would have to run against each other.

Nick Harper, civic engagement director for the League of Women Voters of Minnesota, sees an unfortunate element to that outcome.

"There were a lot of elected officials who made decisions to either run for a different office or to retire," Harper pointed out. "That did include a large number of women."

It included Sen. Melisa Lopez Franzen, DFL-Edina, the Senate minority leader, who has been considered a rising star in her party. Going into the new election cycle, Minnesota ranked 12th in the nation for the number of women serving in the legislature.

Harper emphasized there is still opportunity this fall to offset some losses with open seats in new districts, where there are no incumbents. He also sees gains in future election cycles when others opt to retire, noting it is important to have women help decide key policy matters.

"We've seen a lot of policies that are paying attention more to what a lot of women would like to see, or policies that impact women specifically," Harper observed.

He added such issues range from paid family leave to efforts to address murdered and missing Indigenous women. The League is part of a coalition that has long called for Minnesota to adopt an independent redistricting process. Supporters say it could help to avoid situations that diminish the voting power of certain populations.


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