ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Legislature has but to start severe work on redrawing the state’s congressional and legislative district boundaries however the at all times contentious problem is already earlier than the courts.

A lawsuit filed in Carver County and a parallel motion within the Minnesota Supreme Court docket seeks to stop the present maps from being utilized in 2022 and probably have the courts take over the job, Minnesota Public Radio reported.

The case was filed by former Minnesota Supreme Court docket Justice James Gilbert on behalf of retired legislative redistricting knowledgeable Peter Wattson, retired Ramsey County Elections Supervisor Joe Mansky and others on Friday. It says the courts ought to redraw the political maps if nothing clears the Legislature by this time subsequent yr.

Political maps have to be redrawn each 10 years to account for inhabitants shifts, with a aim of creating every sort of district roughly equal in dimension. For the reason that 1970s in Minnesota, the method has spilled into the courts as a result of the Legislature has been unable to succeed in settlement, so judges have dictated the structure.

That’s a priority this time round as a result of figures from the 2020 census have been delayed till fall, and the Legislature has divided occasion management. Including to the issues is that Minnesota might additionally lose a congressional seat.