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Close to a thousand West St. Paul residents will find themselves in a new city council ward, thanks to redistricting after the 2020 census. This change comes on top of the recent legislative redistricting that split West St. Paul in two different senate districts, a change that impacted every West St. Paul resident.
The shuffling is meant to balance population between the three wards and happens every decade. In addition to changes from the census, the new boundaries also take into account expected population growth from five new developments totaling about 1,500 people.
The New Map
More than 700 residents in Ward 2 will move to Ward 3, in the biggest change that crosses the traditional boundary of Charlton. The area is bounded by Butler on the north, Emerson on the south, and Bidwell on the east.
The Covington Court apartments will also return to Ward 1 after being moved to Ward 3 in the 2012 redistricting.
The Process
The Charter Commission unanimously approved the new map Thursday night. The next step is City Council approval, which will happen in two steps with a public hearing at the March 14 meeting and official approval on March 28. The changes must be completed by March 29, so the timing is incredibly tight. If City Council and the mayor don’t unanimously approve the new maps, they have to go back to the Charter Commission.
Legal requirements dictate the redistricting process, but there are also recommendations that give the Charter Commission some leeway. The Charter Commission prioritized minimizing change for voters as well as proximity to polling places.
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West St. Paul Reader 
Looks like a reasonable plan. It eliminates the odd hook in Ward One between the two precincts.