Every ten years, after the census, the Florida Legislature redraws the boundaries of our Congressional, state house and state senate districts. This was originally intended to be sure that districts are equal in population -- to make sure that every vote counts equally. Florida will engage in redistricting in early 2012.

In the past self-interested politicians hijacked the process by rigging districts for their own political gain. They made deals to draw favorable districts for their allies and they drew their political adversaries out of office. Politicians used sophisticated computers, voter registration data and past election returns to predict how particular voters would vote in the future. Then they chose which voters were most likely to vote for them and their party and placed just enough of those voters into "safe" districts -- ones they were sure they could win. Those in charge also packed large numbers of unfavorable voters in into a few districts to minimize the opposition's chance to win. They rigged districts to keep themselves in power. This was called partisan political gerrymandering. It was like allowing the fox to guard the henhouse or getting to choose your own cards in a poker game! Politicians were choosing their voters instead of voters having a fair chance to choose their representatives. 

Each district was rigged to accomplish a particular result. Districts were set up to be either Democratic or Republican and opposing party candidates or Independents did not have a chance. Voters did not have a real choice in selecting their representatives because the elections were rigged before they even started.

Yes! In November 2010, voters overwhelmingly sent a message to Florida politicians. We passed Amendments 5 and 6 with 63% of the vote! These amendments established rules in the Florida Constitution to stop politicians from designing districts to favor themselves. While carefully protecting the rights of minority voters, the constitution now prohibits political favoritism, requires that districts be compact, contiguous, and follow city or county lines where feasible.

View the Redistricting Provisions of the Florida Constitution

Some Tallahassee politicians don't want to follow the wishes of Florida voters. They don't want to give up the ability to use redistricting as their own job protection plan. These politicians opposed the amendments in November. Now that they lost at the polls, they are showing blatant disrespect for the will of the voters and the constitution they have sworn to uphold. The Speaker of the House has joined a lawsuit trying to have the new rules set aside. The Governor has abused his power by taking steps to delay implementation of the peoples' amendments.

We voted YES for Amendments 5 and 6. If the politicians will not accept this, Florida citizens must continue to make their voices heard through legal action in the courts to require politicians to follow the law; through appearances at public hearings; through letters to editors; and through direct contact with elected officials.

The Legislature has already begun the redistricting process by holding legislative committee hearings and developing map-drawing software that will be available to the public. Public hearings around the state are planned for July-November, 2011. The House and Senate redistricting committees will meet in the Fall and the final maps will be voted on during the sixty day 2012 legislative session which starts on January 10, 2012.

View the Redistricting Provisions of the Florida Constitution