1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to elections; modifying certain election requirements governing ward 
1.3 	population changes for cities of the first class;amending Minnesota Statutes 2018, 
1.4 	section 205.84, subdivision 1.
1.5 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.6 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2018, section 205.84, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
1.7 		Subdivision 1.General provisions. (a) In a city electing council members by wards, 
1.8 	wards shall be as equal in population as practicable and each ward shall be composed of 
1.9 	compact, contiguous territory. Each council member shall be a resident of the ward for 
1.10 	which elected, but, except as otherwise provided by paragraph (b), a change in ward 
1.11 	boundaries does not disqualify a council member from serving for the remainder of a term.
1.12 	(b) Notwithstanding any home rule charter provision to the contrary, in a city of the first 
1.13 	class where council members are elected by ward to serve for four years to terms that are 
1.14 	not staggered, if the population of any ward changes by five percent or more, all council 
1.15 	members must be elected to new terms at the first municipal general election after ward 
1.16 	boundaries are redefined under subdivision 2; provided, however, that if no municipal 
1.17 	general election would otherwise occur in the year ending in "2" or the year ending in "3," 
1.18 	a municipal general election must be held in one of those years.

1.19 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment.