A Florida judge ruled on September 3, 2023, that the state’s congressional redistricting map is unconstitutional. The ruling comes in response to a lawsuit filed by voting rights groups that argued that the map dilutes the voting power of Black voters.
In a 209-page ruling, Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh concluded that the map “diminishes the ability of Black voters to elect their candidate of choice” and “violates the Florida Constitution.”
Marsh ordered the Florida Legislature to redraw the map “to comply with the Florida Constitution.” He gave the legislature until December 31, 2023, to come up with a new map.
The ruling is a major victory for voting rights advocates and a setback for Governor Ron DeSantis, who signed the redistricting map into law in February. DeSantis has been a vocal critic of the ruling, calling it “judicial overreach.”
“I’m disappointed in the court’s decision,” DeSantis said in a statement. “I believe the map that I signed into law was fair and followed the law. I’m confident that we will prevail on appeal.”
The Florida Attorney General’s Office has already filed an appeal of the ruling. The appeal will be heard by the Florida Supreme Court.
The redistricting lawsuit is one of several that have been filed in Florida and other states in recent years. The lawsuits allege that Republicans are using redistricting to gerrymander districts in an effort to gain an unfair electoral advantage.
The Florida judge’s ruling is likely to have a significant impact on the 2024 congressional elections. The new map could result in the loss of several Democratic seats in the state’s congressional delegation.
The ruling is also a reminder that the courts are still a powerful check on the political power of the state legislature.