Minn. political vets: Let retired judges run redistricting

Former Vice President Walter Mondale and some other former officeholders are asking Minnesota lawmakers to give up their power to redraw political boundaries and let retired judges do it instead.

Former longtime DFL Senate Majority Leader Roger Moe says giving over control to a neutral panel would free up lawmakers to focus on other priorities like the state budget.

He also notes that courts have had to redraw the boundaries for the past four decades, after the legislative process got too partisan.

"The Legislature has not been able to do it; it ends up in the courts," Moe said. "The sitting judges don't want to do it ... We're looking for kind of a more neutral process that I think would bring about the results I think would be more favorably received across the state."

The plan has the backing of former elected officials from the DFL, Republican and Independence Parties. But current state lawmakers don't seem too interested in the plan. They say the Legislature has the constitutional responsibility to redraw political boundaries.

Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton says he supports the principle of an independent commission for redistricting.

(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)