1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

Redistricting The 2026 election will take place in a political system that is divided, discordant, flagrantly gerrymandered, and marked by widening racial discrimination. Redistricting is supposed to take place once a decade, after the census. That is why the census is written into the Constitution. The recent Texas seat grab set off a partisan arms race across the country. Democrats responded. California voters overwhelmingly supported drawing new Democratic-leaning congressional districts to counter the GOP gains in Texas. Republicans in Indiana and Florida are moving to redraw lines, while Democrats in Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia aim to do the same! When politicians pick voters, (whether based on race or politics), instead of the other way around, our elections become less fair and less democratic. The country can slide toward even greater division. In 2022, iThe Freedom to Vote Act would have banned mid-decade redistricting and set other standards. The John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act would have strengthened protections against racially discriminatory maps. Both came close to enactment. There must be national standards that apply to red states and blue states alike. The Constitution gives Congress that power. I strongly urge you to present and work to enact national redistricting rules that would ban partisan gerrymandering, bar mid-decade redistricting, and ensure fair representation for voters across the country. Such action would protect our elections from voter suppression, partisan sabotage, gerrymandering, and dark money.