Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced on Wednesday his plan to convene a special legislative session in April to address congressional redistricting. The timing of this session is intended to precede a potential ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court in a case related to the Voting Rights Act.
Special Session Details
Governor DeSantis stated that the special session would be dedicated to the redrawing of Florida's congressional districts. This decision was made despite the regular legislative session commencing the following week, with the Governor citing a pending U.S. Supreme Court ruling as the primary reason for the delay until April.
Supreme Court Case Context
The Supreme Court case, Louisiana v. Callais, pertains to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in voting systems. Governor DeSantis indicated that the high court's decision could potentially affect at least one or two of Florida's congressional districts.
Florida's Redistricting Background
In 2010, Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment, known as "Fair Districts," which prohibits the drawing of district boundaries to unfairly benefit a political party, a practice referred to as gerrymandering. In July of the previous year, the Florida Supreme Court upheld a congressional map supported by Governor DeSantis. This map had been subject to criticism regarding its compliance with the "Fair Districts" amendment. Following that ruling, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez established a select committee in August to review the state's congressional map.
Current Political Landscape and National Trends
Currently, Republicans hold 20 of Florida's 28 congressional seats. The redrawing of these districts could influence the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives.
Nationwide, states are engaged in mid-decade district boundary adjustments. Projections from these efforts suggest potential shifts in congressional representation. Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, and Ohio have seen changes that could lead to a gain of nine seats for Republicans. Conversely, Democrats anticipate potential gains of six seats from redistricting in California and Utah. If these changes are upheld through ongoing litigation, they could result in a net gain of three seats for Republicans nationally.