The Florida Legislature has until September 25, to draw new congressional districts and defend them in court.
That’s according to Leon County circuit Judge George S. Reynolds, III, who issued the order on Wednesday.
Reynolds’ order follows last week’s rejection by Florida Supreme Court of eight congressional districts because it was found that lawmakers violated a 2010 constitutional amendment that sought to prevent gerrymandering. The Court found the legislature’s “redistricting process and resulting map were ‘taint[ed]’ by unconstitutional intent to favor the Republican Party and incumbents.”
The Supreme Court ruled 5-2 in favor of voting rights groups who argued that lawmakers violated the state Constitution during the 2012 redistricting process.
The eight congressional districts to be redrawn are currently represented by Democrat Corrine Brown, Republican David Jolly, Democrat Kathy Castor, Democrat Ted Deutch, Democrat Lois Frankel, Republican Mario Diaz-Balart, Republican Carlos Curbelo and Republican Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.
Some other districts will likely have to be redrawn as well, because they are completely surrounded by at least two of the eight. They are: districts 23 and 24, represented by Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, D-Weston, and Rep. Frederica Wilson, D-Miami Gardens.
