Keeping a seat in Congress is good news for Minnesota.

The power that comes from an extra representative in the U.S. House of Representatives means Minnesotan voters have a greater say in who gets to be president, and it means a larger, more powerful delegation in the halls of Washington.

Each year, the results of the U.S. Census determine how many members each state will have in the House of Representatives. The total number is unchanging but divided among the states based on their relative proportions of the United States population. Most Great Lakes states will lose a representative during the period 2012 through 2022 as the nation’s population shifts south and westward. Minnesota is an exception, possibly because Minnesotans as a group participated willingly in the census, ensuring that most everyone was counted.

Another possible reason for Minnesota to keep its eight seats is that it has experienced growth, thanks to immigration of Hispanic, Hmong and Somali peoples. Plus, Minnesota seems to do a fair job of keeping enough of its youth from moving away to make a difference in the census count.

Fight all you want about legal or illegal issues, immigration in and of itself — though legal is preferred — is good for Minnesota. We want people to come live and work here and contribute to our economy and communities, whether they come from other states or other counties.

Maintaining strong representation will also prove important, for instance, as heavily populated-but-resource-poor Southwestern states look elsewhere in the country for the basics needed to sustain their populations.

Although some leaders, including at least one of Minnesota’s own extreme-right lawmakers, discouraged participation in the census, the reality is that simply standing up and being counted has helped ensure Minnesota’s continued eight-member representation in the United States House of Representatives.

Pat yourself on the back if you did your civic duty and participated in the U.S. census this year. The count matters and is worth it.