Tallahassee, FL – The Florida Supreme Court has approved a new map for the state’s congressional districts, but the bitter fight may soon be escalated into federal court.
The state’s highest court approved a new map yesterday that now puts all of Volusia and Flagler into District 6 as well as parts of Lake and St. Johns counties.
Under the previous configuration, the southwestern part of Volusia was part of District 7 and District 6 also included parts of Putnam County instead of Lake as well as a bigger chunk of St. Johns.
The old set-up was ruled unconstitutional by a Florida judge for violating the “Fair Districts” standards approved by voters in 2010 which states that legislators can’t set up districts intended to help incumbents or political parties.
The high court ordered a Tallahassee judge to come up with a new map when state lawmakers failed to pass a new map this year during a special session and that’s the one that’s just been approved. The court rejected maps drawn separately by the House and Senate.
Republican Senator Bill Galvano of Bradenton – also the chair of the Reapportionment Committee – says he doesn’t like the ruling one bit but also wasn’t surprised by the ruling.
The Florida Legislature cannot appeal again in state court, but legislators have the option of filing a federal court challenge to the new congressional map. Galvano says no decisions have been made there.
US House Representatives Dan Webster (R-Orlando) and Corrine Brown (D-Jacksonville) are arguably the most affected since the new boundary lines for Districts 10 and 5, respectively, look little like the old map.
Brown has promised in the past to challenge in federal court because she claims her district has been gerrymandered to make sure minority candidates like her can’t get elected again.
Webster is also considering a federal court challenge and he’s claimed in the past that the new District 10 makes it virtually impossible for any Republican to win that seat again.
It’s the 8th time in the past decade that the high court has ruled on the redistricting and the legislature has lost every time because of gerrymandering.
Florida News Network contributed to this report.
Copyright 2015 Southern Stone Communications.