{"id":627,"date":"2026-05-14T14:35:08","date_gmt":"2026-05-14T14:35:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=627"},"modified":"2026-05-14T14:35:08","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T14:35:08","slug":"editorial-shut-down-ill-conceived-redistricting-plan","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/orlandorelocationreport.com\/?p=627","title":{"rendered":"Editorial: Shut down ill-conceived redistricting plan"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It\u2019s been a week and a half since Gov. Ron DeSantis signed off on a train wreck of a congressional redistricting plan that shifted hundreds of thousands of voters from one district to another. This is a nakedly partisan power grab, and state officials haven\u2019t really bothered to deny it. Their intent: Flip four seats currently held by Democrats into GOP control, giving a party that includes less than 42% of voters a clear advantage in 24 of Florida\u2019s 28 districts.<\/p>\n

Read more Learn about Florida\u2019s environment tonight and get a free plant<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s just not enough time. With the primary election less than 100 days away, many Central Floridians \u2014 and possibly even some potential candidates \u2014 don\u2019t know what district they are in. And until June 12, when the congressional candidates must qualify to be on the ballot, voters will have no idea who is running. For some candidates, the change will force them to essentially start their campaigns over again, introducing themselves to voters and probably, spending a lot more money on their campaign.<\/p>\n

Add to that five pending lawsuits, three directly challenging the state\u2019s decision to\u00a0 re-apportion Florida. The courts will probably move as quickly as they can, but there are big, complicated issues in dispute, including whether DeSantis could unilaterally declare Florida\u2019s fair-districting provisions invalid.<\/p>\n

Which is exactly what he\u00a0 (or rather, his lawyer) did. Their argument was that Florida\u2019s constitutional amendments were invalidated by a recent U.S. Supreme Court case that found race-based districting (as practiced in Louisiana) to be a violation of the U.S. Constitution\u2019s equal protection clause.<\/p>\n

We have to give the governor credit: It takes a lot of brass to defend a blatant partisan power grab in the name of equal protection. But Florida\u2019s law \u2014 particularly, that constitutional provision that explicitly limits redistricting plans meant to favor one party or candidate over another \u2014 is different from Louisiana\u2019s.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, it\u2019s clear that Florida\u2019s map was drawn to favor a particular race: White people. That might not have been the overarching intent \u2014- the main goal was obviously to box Democrats out of seats they formerly held. But the loss of two Black and one Hispanic \u201copportunity districts\u201d leads to an inevitable result.<\/p>\n

There is no need for the unseemly rush, especially since this is a fake crisis of DeSantis\u2019 own making. Even if the call to redistrict was legit, DeSantis clearly stage-managed the process to keep it on ice\u00a0 as possible. The Legislature could have redrawn the congressional maps during its regular session, which started in January this year. Or it could have taken up the issue last year, a move that would have allowed ample time for public hearings and thoughtful consideration.<\/p>\n

Read more Florida man faces felony charge after confrontation with teen on e-bike<\/a><\/p>\n

The intent seems pretty apparent: By waiting so long, DeSantis ensured that he\u2019d have more power in the process \u2014 and be better able to keep his map secret while his staff finagled it.<\/p>\n

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Elections supervisors across the state are working double-time to get the official notifications out, letting people know which congressional district they\u00a0 live in, and where they will be voting in August. Supervisors in Orange and Osceola counties, which are two of the most-disrupted in the state) agree it will be hard. But they are most worried about the impact on voters, who could arrive at the polls on Election Day and find a list of names they don\u2019t recognize in a congressional district they didn\u2019t know they\u2019d been moved to.<\/p>\n

Tuesday,\u00a0 a crisply worded email from Ashley Carter, general counsel for the Florida Division of Elections,\u00a0 warned supervisors to keep the old maps on hand. That sounds like good advice.<\/p>\n

To consider the challenge to the new districts in a way that\u2019s fair to voters, courts will have to consider whether DeSantis acted in a way that deprives them of their right to choose their own members of Congress. Looking at the timeline the governor enforced, and the cloud of secrecy and arrogance that has shrouded this affair from the start, it\u2019s hard to see how a court could decide to protect it.<\/p>\n

There is no defense for this brazen act of dictatorship, and courts should reach that conclusion fairly quickly so elections can get back on track.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board consists of Opinion Editor Krys Fluker, Executive Editor Roger Simmons and Viewpoints Editor Jay Reddick. Use insight@orlandosentinel.com to contact us.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more Orlando Fringe Festival reviews: Inspirational porn, worldly jokes and mom<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There’s not enough time to implement Ron DeSantis’ brazen new redistricting plan. 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