Florida voting rights groups revamp challenge to Gov. Ron DeSantis’ redistricting map

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Alleging that the map is “intentionally racially discriminatory,” voting-rights groups late Friday requested approval to revamp a federal lawsuit to challenge the constitutionality of Florida’s new congressional redistricting plan.

In documents filed in federal court in Tallahassee, the groups and five individual plaintiffs alleged that the plan Gov. Ron DeSantis pushed through the Legislature should be blocked because it will reduce — or eliminate — the chances of Black candidates being elected in North Florida and the Orlando area.

“This is an extraordinary case in that all of the factors point in one direction — the governor created the enacted plan, at least in part for the invidious purpose of discriminating against Black Floridians by constraining their ability to vote, to elect their candidates of choice and to participate fully in the electoral process,” a proposed amended complaint said. “The totality of the circumstances reveal that Governor DeSantis created and signed the enacted plan into law with discriminatory intent — namely, to roll back Black Floridians’ representation in Congress.”

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