See this story for an update on the Florida state court lawsuit over the boundaries of the state’s U.S. House districts. A decision is expected in the new few days on what will be done about the fact that on July 10, the boundaries of some of the districts were ruled unlawful.
The article is mixed up about the latest filing. Under federal law, a state may continue to use its old districts, plus elect any new representatives at large.
The article thinks that this would mean that representatives from District 26 and 27 would be elected at large.
What the brief:
http://thefloridavoter.org/files/download/904 (PDF)
is instead claiming that the only lawful districts created by the legislature is the 25-district 2000s plan; but to use this plan is itself unlawful, since the districts are now woefully out of balance. And so the court must draw a new plan.
It is simply a ploy to get the court to draw a plan with the assistance of Democratic-affiliated lawyers for the plaintiffs.
The simple solution is to enjoin the elections for the affected districts (FL-1, FL-3, FL-5, FL-6, FL-7, FL-9, FL-10, and FL-11).
I suspect that the legislature would be called into special session to produce new maps for those districts. They could also pass a law to use a Top 2 Open Primary in November that would permit election for a majority winner.
Nonstop minority rule gerrymanders since 4 July 1776.
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P.R. and nonpartisan App.V.