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Office of the Minnesota Secretary of State <br /> 2021 Redistricting Guide <br /> 18 <br />3.5 Ward redistricting and the City Council <br />3.5.1 Residence in ward <br />When elected, a member of the city council must be, and remain, a resident of the ward they represent. <br />If redistricting causes a ward boundary to move, and that boundary change causes a council member’s residence to be <br />shifted into another ward, the council member is allowed to continue to serve for the remainder of their term. However, <br />if the council member runs for re-election, they will need to become a resident of the ward they represent. (M.S. 205.84, <br />subd. 2) <br />3.5.2 First class cities without staggered council terms <br />Notwithstanding any home rule charter provision to the contrary, in a city of the first class where council members are <br />elected by ward to serve for four years to terms that are not staggered, if the population of any ward changes by five <br />percent or more, all council members must be elected to new terms at the first municipal general election after ward <br />boundaries are redefined. However, if no municipal general election would otherwise occur in 2022 or 2023, a municipal <br />general election must be held in one of those years. (M.S. 205.84, subd. 1(b)) <br />3.5.3 Failure to redistrict <br />Minnesota statutes provides a penalty if the city council fails to either confirm that existing wards meet statutory <br />requirements, or redistrict wards to meet statutory requirements. The city council must take an action to either formally <br />reconfirm or change ward boundaries within the time frames provided in law. In the event that the council fails to act in <br />time, no further compensation shall be paid to the mayor or council members until such time as they act. (M.S. 205.84 <br />subd. 2) <br />3.6 Voter’s right to contest <br />Minnesota law provides guidance to citizens of their right to contest local government election district plans. A voter <br />wishing to contest a city ward redistricting plan or compel redistricting must file with the district court in the county by <br />the appropriate date: <br />• If the redistricting plan is approved before March 29, 2022, the voter must file within three weeks, but no later <br />than April 5, 2022; <br />• If the redistricting plan is approved after March 29, 2022, the voter must file within one week of adoption. <br />Consult with the city attorney for additional information regarding the procedures for ward redistricting contests. (M.S. <br />204B.135 subds. 1 and 3 (a) and (b)) <br />