Weighted Voting For Congress

[ilikeverin]

Minnesota is almost pathetically simple:

Minnesota Instate (Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Washington, Dakota, Scott, Carver, and Wright Counties): Population 2,974,213 (deviation +322,251).  Obama 57.2%, DFL 56.0%.  Sherbourne might go here, but then you get bits of St. Cloud in the Instate region, which is wrong.  Otherwise, every county that borders Hennepin/Ramsey, and the counties themselves.  Usually quite D.

Minnesota Outstate (all other counties): Population 2,329,712 (deviation -322,251).  Obama 49.9%, DFL 51.5%.  Pretty swingy.

[ilikeverin]

Minnesota is almost pathetically simple:

Minnesota Instate (Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Washington, Dakota, Scott, Carver, and Wright Counties): Population 2,974,213 (deviation +322,251).  Obama 57.2%, DFL 56.0%.  Sherbourne might go here, but then you get bits of St. Cloud in the Instate region, which is wrong.  Otherwise, every county that borders Hennepin/Ramsey, and the counties themselves.  Usually quite D.

Minnesota Outstate (all other counties): Population 2,329,712 (deviation -322,251).  Obama 49.9%, DFL 51.5%.  Pretty swingy.

Would Minnesota Twin Cities or Twin Cities (MN) or Minneapolis-St.Paul (MN) be preferred names?

Is Minnesota Outstate pejorative?   Is Minnesota or Minnesota State acceptable even though they are overinclusive?  There will be 28 districts that will be named for the state.

What would the unwashed bumpkins from the hinterland prefer?

Minnesota—Twin Cities would be more inclusive, and, I think, would be a fine alternative to "Instate".  (Locally, the region is the "Twin Cities Metro".)  "Outstate" isn't pejorative, to my knowledge.  I don't think there's any other tidy way to refer to "everywhere that isn't near the Twin Cities".  Calling the rest of the state just "Minnesota" or "Minnesota State" would be very confusing and strange.  The Twin Cities doesn't particularly see itself as independent of the rest of the state... many locals have a cabin up north.

[ilikeverin]

Minnesota is almost pathetically simple:

Minnesota Instate (Hennepin, Ramsey, Anoka, Washington, Dakota, Scott, Carver, and Wright Counties): Population 2,974,213 (deviation +322,251).  Obama 57.2%, DFL 56.0%.  Sherbourne might go here, but then you get bits of St. Cloud in the Instate region, which is wrong.  Otherwise, every county that borders Hennepin/Ramsey, and the counties themselves.  Usually quite D.

Minnesota Outstate (all other counties): Population 2,329,712 (deviation -322,251).  Obama 49.9%, DFL 51.5%.  Pretty swingy.

Would Minnesota Twin Cities or Twin Cities (MN) or Minneapolis-St.Paul (MN) be preferred names?

Is Minnesota Outstate pejorative?   Is Minnesota or Minnesota State acceptable even though they are overinclusive?  There will be 28 districts that will be named for the state.

What would the unwashed bumpkins from the hinterland prefer?

Minnesota—Twin Cities would be more inclusive, and, I think, would be a fine alternative to "Instate".  (Locally, the region is the "Twin Cities Metro".)  "Outstate" isn't pejorative, to my knowledge.  I don't think there's any other tidy way to refer to "everywhere that isn't near the Twin Cities".  Calling the rest of the state just "Minnesota" or "Minnesota State" would be very confusing and strange.  The Twin Cities doesn't particularly see itself as independent of the rest of the state... many locals have a cabin up north.

When I was growing up in the Twin Cities it would have been unthinkable to put Sherburne in the metro region. However, during our analysis of UCC's it was pretty clear that my historical view doesn't match today's reality. There's more exurban Mpls population there now then there is in part of St Cloud. I would use it as we did with the UCC.

Elk River certainly isn't meaningless, I'll give you that.  It's just such an awkward county, as are Stearns and Benton.  (Well, more like it's just that St. Cloud is messy...)

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I could definitely get behind Minnesota—Itasca; that's a name to be proud of.  I get Minnesota—St. Anthony, but I wonder whether people really connect with St. Anthony Falls these days more than Minnehaha?  I know it's not exactly of the most historical relevance, but it's darn cute   Perhaps Minnesota—Hiawatha if we want a combination of history and poetry (er, literally)?  Minnesota—Nicollet?  I don't know, St. Anthony just rubs me the wrong way for euphonic reasons.

[ilikeverin]

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What?  No.  No Hoosier would accept a district named Hoosier for only part of the state.  "Wabash" is an obvious replacement.

[ilikeverin]

Quite frankly, any district south of Gainesville and north of Homestead that borders both coasts is a travesty that Floridians would not countenance.  SWFL belongs with Tampa.