1. United States
2. Fla.
3. Letter

Vote no on Governor DeSantis' congressional redistricting map. This rushed, partisan gerrymander violates Florida's constitutional ban on drawing districts to favor a political party. Completing the entire redistricting process in 72 hours is a mockery of public input and democratic norms. In 2010, Florida voters passed a constitutional amendment specifically prohibiting partisan gerrymandering. That was a mandate, not a suggestion. Recent Emerson College polling shows a majority of Floridians oppose this plan. Even Republican State Senator Jennifer Bradley, an attorney, voted against it because she recognizes it's unconstitutional. The map relies on a Supreme Court ruling that hasn't been issued yet. DeSantis claims population growth justifies redrawing districts, but his own staffer used the same 2020 census data as the current map. That population growth has been 90% immigrants, yet this map dilutes their representation. Jason Poreda's claim that he drew a "race-neutral map" was literally laughed at during Tuesday's hearing. Florida Republicans currently hold 20 of 28 congressional seats despite Trump winning only 56% statewide. This aggressive gerrymander could backfire by spreading Republican voters too thin. Reject this unconstitutional power grab and respect the will of Florida voters.