Florida Judge Rules DeSantis-Backed Voting Map Illegally Harms Black Voters

By Melissa Noel ·Updated September 6, 2023

A Florida judge has ruled that a redistricting plan pushed by Republican Governor Ron DeSantis violates the state constitution and cannot be used for future U.S. congressional elections. The Associated Press reports that the judge’s decision stems from concerns that the plan diminishes the ability of Black voters in north Florida to choose their preferred representative.

Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh found that the redistricting plan violates the Florida Constitution by diminishing the ability of Black voters to elect their preferred candidates. The judge ordered the Florida Legislature to draw a new congressional map that complies with the state constitution.

The ruling underscores concerns that the redistricting plan, criticized for carving up districts and dividing Black voters into conservative districts represented by white Republicans, effectively targeted Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, who is Black. This action was seen as an attempt to remove him from office.

This is not the first time new congressional maps in southern states have faced legal challenges over concerns about diluting Black voting power. The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a Republican-drawn map in Alabama in June, with two conservative justices joining liberals in rejecting the effort to weaken a landmark voting rights law. Later, the Supreme Court lifted its hold on a Louisiana political remap case, increasing the possibility that the Republican-dominated state will have to redraw congressional boundaries to create a second mostly Black district.

In Alabama and Louisiana, Republican efforts to redraw political boundaries have faced legal obstacles and increased the likelihood of redrawing districts to create more Black congressional districts.

Governor DeSantis played an unusual role in redistricting by vetoing the Legislature’s map, submitting his own, and demanding lawmakers accept it. His involvement in redistricting, which is typically the responsibility of the Legislature, has been a subject of controversy.

The decision in this case may be appealed, as Republicans may seek to challenge rulings that could benefit Democratic candidates in the 2024 elections under redrawn maps. The Florida Supreme Court could eventually hear the Florida case.

Redistricting occurs every ten years following the U.S. Census, with lawmakers in all 50 states redrawing political boundaries. The process is crucial for ensuring fair representation in Congress.

This ruling highlights ongoing debates and legal challenges related to redistricting, voting rights, and political representation, which have significant implications for the democratic process in the United States.