Many observers speculate a five-judge panel will release the new legislative and congressional district maps next week. The court panel is now responsible for the maps because the GOP-controlled legislature and DFL Gov. Mark Dayton failed to agree on the new maps. Redistricting is required every 10 years to keep nearly the same number of people in each district.

Forum Communications reports candidates may be raising some money now, but are ultimately waiting to see how districts shake up after the new political maps are completed in February before tossing their hat into the ring.

Some residents are telling a panel that it makes no sense to lump both cities in the same legislative district. The population of the St. Cloud area and the northern suburbs of the Twin Cities have grown much faster than most of other parts of the state in the past decade, which means political districts in the area must be redrawn.

School districts in Minnesota are feeling the pressure to compete for students and state money. Declining birth rates and open enrollment are pushing some schools to start recruiting babies and toddlers.

Republican Chris Fields made his official announcement to run for Minnesota's 5th Congressional District. Fields joins Lynne Torgerson in the Republican candidate pool. It will be an uphill battle for both challengers -- Ellison won with 68 percent of the vote in 2010 and with 71 percent in 2008.

The five-judge redistricting panel appointed by the Minnesota Supreme Court released an outline Thursday. All parties must have their proposed maps to the court next month. The court will then have a hearing on the plans in January.

When Minnesota's political parties were unable to agree on new political boundaries, they went to court ... and now the bills are coming due. Democrats, Republicans, and citizens who joined the lawsuit are seeking reimbursement of $628,000 in legal costs. A panel appointed by the state Supreme Court eventually handled the redistricting.

The Associated Press reports the court panel assigned with redrawing the state's political boundaries won't rule until late February -- a point where the Republican Congresswoman should know if its time to abandon her presidential campaign if her placement in the polls don't improve.