FLORIDA & Mid-Decade Redistricting

Mid-decade redistricting is a foregone conclusion according to at least one Florida Supervisor-of-Elections. However, with your support, we can prove him wrong.

Please write to your legislative representatives and the select committee members letting them know your thoughts - scroll down for more information.

Background:

There are Florida Constitutional Amendments (5th and 6th) for fair districting that passed in 2010 with 63% in favor and yet it was ignored in 2022 where the districts went from 14 Republican favored and 13 Democrat favored districts to 20 Republican favored and 8 Democrat favored districts. Note that map was presented to the Legislature by the Governor. It is constitutionally the Legislators’ responsibility to draw the maps not the Governor’s. We don’t yet live in an authoritarian government where one person dictates to all others. The Florida Supreme Court upheld the politically gerrymandered map despite the Constitutional Amendments that clearly showing the will of the governed. Florida party break-down was Republican 40%, Democrat 31%, and Other Parties 29% as of December 2024 according to data available on https://dos.fl.gov/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-reports/. Therefore, the fair districts would be roughly 15 to 16 Republican favored and 12 to13 Democrat favored assuming unaffiliated are evenly distributed to the major parties. These proportions are not what occurred in 2022 to provide equitable representation.

Now the legislature is proposing a mid-decade redistricting at the behest of President Trump with no new Census numbers to justify the need. This effort is despite the Legislature knowing it is unconstitutional. Their own site, https://www.floridaredistricting.gov/, states “The Florida Constitution directs the Legislature to redraw district boundaries at its Regular Session in the second year following each decennial census.” Expectations are the will of the people will again be ignored resulting in further gerrymandering the districts to favor Republicans. Doing so is a hope they will keep federal power and the Florida Legislature supermajority.

Legislators seem to have forgotten their job is to represent all constituents’ positions regardless of party or their personal views. Let’s remind them, the power is in the hands of the people by speaking out against mid-decade redistricting. Mid-decade redistricting will be costly to taxpayers as there will be legal challenges to defend the unconstitutional maneuver not to mention the costs to Supervisors of Elections offices.

Time is short. Act today to contact your House and Senate representatives as well as those picked for the members of the Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting. If you do not know your Florida Representative or Senator, you can find them through

https://lwvfl.org/floridagovernment/.

Mike Redondo (R District 118) Chairman

Jessica Baker (R District 17) Committee Member

Kim Berfield (R District 58) Committee Member

Nan Cobb (R District 26) Committee Member

Peggy Gossett-Seidman (R District 91) Committee Member

Patt Maney (R District 4) Committee Member

Jenna Persons-Mulicka (R District 78) Committee Member

William Robinson (R District 71) Committee Member

Bruce Antone (D District 41) Committee Member

Kevin Chambliss (D District 117) Committee Member

Johanna Lopez (D District 43) Committee Member

Contact information is available on Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting | Florida House of Representatives.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan organization supporting all voters’ rights.

Tallahassee must hear loud and clear that their constituents are against this purely political move to attempt to hold power. If they fail to listen now, tell them again at the ballot box during the 2026 mid-terms and beyond by voting for the person that will support the Florida Constitution and the will of the people. The People can overcome any gerrymandering by voting against those that support mid-decade redistricting.