Florida court to consider whether new US House map violates state ban on partisan gerrymandering
A Florida court will hear arguments Friday on whether new U.S. House districts, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis, violate the state’s 2010 constitutional ban on partisan gerrymandering. Lawsuits filed by voters seek to block the districts, which could help Republicans gain four additional seats in the November elections, amid broader mid-decade redistricting efforts by GOP-led states." "article": "Florida’s new U.S. House districts, approved by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis after a two-day special legislative session, will face their first legal challenge Friday in Leon County court. Voters’ lawsuits argue the map violates the state’s 2010 constitutional amendment prohibiting partisan gerrymandering, which bars districts from favoring a political party or incumbent while ensuring minority representation. The current map could boost Republicans from 20 to 24 of Florida’s 28 House seats, aligning with President Donald Trump’s push for mid-decade redistricting to secure a narrow GOP majority. Florida’s Legislature passed the new map on April 29, the same day the U.S. Supreme Court weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections, allowing states to eliminate majority-minority districts. The lawsuits claim the new map ‘takes the state’s partisan skew to an unprecedented extreme,’ while DeSantis’ office argues partisan intent hasn’t been proven and that racial data wasn’t used in drafting the plan. Legal experts note Florida’s 2010 amendment remains valid despite DeSantis’ General Counsel David Axelman’s claim that it violates the U.S. Constitution, potentially voiding its anti-gerrymandering provisions. The court’s decision could disrupt Florida’s election plans, with Democrats already losing ground in Virginia after its Supreme Court struck down a Democratic redistricting plan. The case highlights broader tensions over redistricting, as GOP-led states pursue maps favoring Republicans while Democrats seek to protect minority representation.
Florida’s new U.S. House districts, approved by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis after a two-day special legislative session, will face their first legal challenge Friday in Leon County court. Voters’ lawsuits argue the map violates the state’s 2010 constitutional amendment prohibiting partisan gerrymandering, which bars districts from favoring a political party or incumbent while ensuring minority representation. The current map could boost Republicans from 20 to 24 of Florida’s 28 House seats, aligning with President Donald Trump’s push for mid-decade redistricting to secure a narrow GOP majority. Florida’s Legislature passed the new map on April 29, the same day the U.S. Supreme Court weakened federal Voting Rights Act protections, allowing states to eliminate majority-minority districts. The lawsuits claim the new map ‘takes the state’s partisan skew to an unprecedented extreme,’ while DeSantis’ office argues partisan intent hasn’t been proven and that racial data wasn’t used in drafting the plan. Legal experts note Florida’s 2010 amendment remains valid despite DeSantis’ General Counsel David Axelman’s claim that it violates the U.S. Constitution, potentially voiding its anti-gerrymandering provisions. The court’s decision could disrupt Florida’s election plans, with Democrats already losing ground in Virginia after its Supreme Court struck down a Democratic redistricting plan. The case highlights broader tensions over redistricting, as GOP-led states pursue maps favoring Republicans while Democrats seek to protect minority representation.
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