New Legislative Boundaries Splits Shakopee From Prior Lake

Shakopee and Prior Lake will be split legislatively in the redrawn districting maps released Tuesday by a Minnesota Supreme Court-appointed panel.

Shakopee will shift from House District 35A to House District 55A, which also includes Jackson and Louisville Townships. The most southern section of Shakopee will now be included in House District 55B with Prior Lake, Jordan and several townships.

Even with the boundary changes and new districting names, State Rep. Michael Beard (R-Shakopee) and Sen. Claire Robling (R-Jordan) will retain much of their former territories.

One person who appears excited by the redistricting is Chuck Berg, who has declared his intent to run for Beard's seat. "That's perfect... Home!" he wrote on Facebook Tuesday of the cities and townships in the new district.

Redistricting comes every 10 years after a Census. Minnesota's highest court stepped into the redistricting fray after Gov. Mark Dayton and the Republican-controlled legislature couldn't agree on legislative boundaries. The law requires all districts to be similar in population.

Shakopee will stay in the Second Congressional District. Congressman John Kline, a Republican, lives in Lakeville and would continue to serve Shakopee if re-elected. According to a report by MinnPost, with the exception of U.S. Rep. Michele Bachman, all congressional incumbents remain in their current districts.

Some of the state’s top Republican activists, conservative bloggers and elected officials met Tuesday night in Bloomington to discuss the newly drawn district lines.