News & Alerts
Senate failed; court must act
04/25/2012
If the Florida Supreme Court draws the state Senate map, don't blame judicial activism. Blame political resistance read more »
Florida Senate's brazen redistricting trickery fails
03/15/2012
Upon deeper review of the Florida Supreme Court decision on Friday invalidating the state Senate's redistricting plan, a startling fact came to light: the Republican-dominated chamber's brazen and arrogant attempt at protecting incumbents through the district numbering system.
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More News & Alerts
Lawmakers set timetable for new Senate maps
03/15/2012
TALLAHASSEE — The Legislature convened an extra-innings "extraordinary" session Wednesday to redraw its state Senate map after the Florida Supreme Court decided its lines violated the new anti-gerrymandering law by favoring incumbents. read more »
Editorial: Senate's task is clear
03/14/2012
As the Florida Senate opens its special session on redistricting today, it must do what it failed to do previously: Draw 40 Senate district maps that conform to the Florida Constitution.
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Senate defied state's voters
03/13/2012
Last week, the Florida Supreme Court correctly slapped down the Florida Senate's new political map, and much of the slapping concerned Palm Beach County.
Amendments 5 and 6, which voters approved in 2010, forbid the Legislature from drawing districts to benefit incumbents. Senate leaders treated that demand the way Hugo Chavez treats popular dissent: They ignored it. The Senate map, the court majority noted, is "rife with improper intent" to benefit incumbents. read more »
Amendments 5 and 6, which voters approved in 2010, forbid the Legislature from drawing districts to benefit incumbents. Senate leaders treated that demand the way Hugo Chavez treats popular dissent: They ignored it. The Senate map, the court majority noted, is "rife with improper intent" to benefit incumbents. read more »
Our Take: Redistricting Ruling
03/10/2012
Vindication for voters
Florida's state senators flouted the will of the people when they redrew their districts. Fortunately, the state Supreme Court didn't let them get away with it.
The high court's 5-2 ruling Friday, rejecting the Senate map, will force a do-over. The majority found that eight of the districts didn't comply with the anti-gerrymandering standards that 63 percent of voters approved in 2010. read more »
Florida's state senators flouted the will of the people when they redrew their districts. Fortunately, the state Supreme Court didn't let them get away with it.
The high court's 5-2 ruling Friday, rejecting the Senate map, will force a do-over. The majority found that eight of the districts didn't comply with the anti-gerrymandering standards that 63 percent of voters approved in 2010. read more »
LAWMAKERS LAY OUT PLANS FOR REDISTRICTING SESSION
03/10/2012
Shortly after the curtain came down on the 2012 regular legislative session, lawmakers were already considering the contours of the redistricting session that will begin Wednesday.
And they already have some ideas about the scope of the changes to the Senate plan, the only one struck down by the Florida Supreme Court, and the role of the House in recasting the lines to the court's liking. Both will be limited. read more »
And they already have some ideas about the scope of the changes to the Senate plan, the only one struck down by the Florida Supreme Court, and the role of the House in recasting the lines to the court's liking. Both will be limited. read more »
Florida Supreme Court Throws out Senate Redistricting Map Special session looms
03/10/2012
BRADENTON - The Florida Supreme Court ruled the legislature's Senate redistricting map unconstitutional on Friday, which was the last day of the 2012 session. The court ruled 5-2 that 8 of the 40 redrawn districts violated the Fair Districts Amendment voters passed in 2010.
The justices ruled that various districts violated the Fair Districts law by favoring incumbents, not being compact or failing to follow the prescribed methods for boundaries. Others were in violation for intentionally packing minorities into districts. read more »
The justices ruled that various districts violated the Fair Districts law by favoring incumbents, not being compact or failing to follow the prescribed methods for boundaries. Others were in violation for intentionally packing minorities into districts. read more »