Testimony Before the Minnesota Judicial Panel on Redistricting

 TESTIMONY BEFORE JUDICIAL PANEL ON REDISTRICTING

Hjemkomst Center, Moorhead, October 18, 2021

My name is Lawrence Wohlrabe, and I reside in Moorhead. I’m a retired Lutheran pastor, having served almost all of my ministry in western Minnesota. My last position was as a regional bishop for Lutherans residing in 21 counties of northwestern Minnesota.

I’m glad for this chance to offer testimony, to assist you on the judicial panel as you tackle the arduous task of redistricting. In my comments I’ll focus on Minnesota’s 4th Senate District as a “community of interest.”

This district currently encompasses Clay and Norman Counties along with 4 townships plus the city of Detroit Lakes in Becker County. It is one of the few senate districts in outstate Minnesota which is growing in population primarily because of population growth in Moorhead and Detroit Lakes. (Norman County, on the other hand, is declining in population).

Education is highly prized within the 4th district which includes Concordia College, Minnesota State University Moorhead, and the Moorhead and Detroit Lakes campuses of “MState”--the Minnesota State Community and Technical College.

The 4th district is bisected by two U.S. Highways: U.S. 75, a two-lane highway that runs north/south through Clay and Norman Counties; and U.S. 10, a four-lane highway that runs east/west through Moorhead and Detroit Lakes. It’s especially worthy of note that U.S. Highway 10 has become a major economic corridor, connecting Detroit Lakes and Moorhead—a linkage that has only grown more significant since the 2000 census after which Becker County and Clay County were first put together in what is now Senate District 4.

Residents of District 4 have many opportunities for meaningful, rewarding employment, along with a high quality of life, afforded by proximity to major agricultural, medical, manufacturing and shopping centers.

The fabric of community life in District 4 is nurtured by a high level of engagement with civic and service organizations, non-profit groups, collegiate and professional sports teams, and numerous religious organizations—with 90% of religious adherents in the district self-identifying as either Catholic or Lutheran.

District 4 also offers residents and visitors an array of vacation and outdoor recreation opportunities. In the summer months it’s common to see bumper-to-bumper traffic on Highway 10 every Friday evening and Sunday evening as thousands of North Dakotans and Minnesotans travel to northern Minnesota’s lovely “lake country” for fishing, boating and “cabin-ing.”

Finally, I understand that the redistricting process may result in moving Norman County into Senate District #1 (north of us) to address that district’s population decline since the 2010 census.
If that happens, I hope that the redistricting process will add Lake Park and Audubon townships (including the towns of Lake Park and Audubon) in Becker County to the territory of Senate District 4. Doing so would reflect and affirm the crucial role that the U.S. Highway 10 corridor plays in linking Clay and Becker counties as a vibrant community of interest that’s at the heart of Senate District 4.

Thank you for this opportunity to testify.

Lawrence R. Wohlrabe
Moorhead MN