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ORDER On January 4, 2001, Susan M. Zachman et. al brought an action in Wright County District Court alleging that "the present congressional district boundaries in the State of Minnesota violate Plaintiffs' rights to due process and equal protection guaranteed by the United States Constitution." (Zachman Compl. at 12.) The Zwhmtan plaintiffs then petitioned Chief Justice Kathleen Blatz of the Minnesota Supreme Court to appoint a Special Redistricting Panel to oversee all of Minnesota's 2001-2002 redistricting litigation. (Zacbman Pet. for Appointment of Spec. Redistricting Panel at 1.) Pursuant to her authority under Minnesota law, Chief Justice Blatt appointed this panel on July 12, 2001, directing us to adopt congressional and legislative redistricting plans only in the event the legislature failed to do so in a timely manner. Tachman v. Krf meyer, 629 N-W.2d 98, 98(Minn.200 1) (Order of Chief Justice); see also Minn. Stat. §§ 2.724, subd. 1,480.16 (2000). According to Minn. Stat. § 2048.14, subd. la (2000), "[i]t is the intention of the legislature to complete congressional and legislative redistricting activities * * * in no case later than 25 weeks before the state primary election in the year ending in two." The statutory date falls on March 19, 2002 in this decade. Because that date has arrived and the -legislature has not enacted a congressional redistricting plan, and because the electoral process must not be delayed any longer, we hereby adopt the congressional boundaries set forth in Appendices A through F to this order and discussed below. I. Reapportionment takes place every decade following the completion of the decennial United States Census. Karen M. Mills, U.S. Dep't of Commerce, Census 2000 Brief: Congressional Apportionment 1 (July 2001). Because Minnesota's population grew at a rate only slightly slower than the national average, Mfirmesota retained eight congressional seats. Id. ..Z-