Judge Rules Florida’s Congressional Map Unlawfully Discriminated Against Black Voters

Background: A district in Florida has been divided into four, resulting in a smaller Black population in each.

The ruling pertains to House District 5, which previously extended from Jacksonville to Tallahassee along Florida’s northern border with Georgia.

This district, with a voting population that consisted of approximately 46 percent Black individuals, elected Al Lawson, a Black Democrat, in the 2016, 2018, and 2020 elections. Voting patterns indicated racial polarization, with Black residents predominantly voting for Democrats and white residents mostly supporting Republicans.

In the new map, approved by the Florida Legislature and Governor Ron DeSantis prior to the last midterm elections, this area was divided into four districts. The voting populations of these districts ranged from around 13 percent to 32 percent Black. In 2022, all four districts elected white Republicans, with one defeating Mr. Lawson in the process.

“Under the enacted plan in 2022, North Florida did not elect a Black member of Congress for the first time since 1990,” stated Judge Marsh in an uncontested list of facts.

Why It Matters: The revised maps could have significant political implications on a national scale.

Aside from impacting Black voters’ representation in Congress, rulings on redistricting like this one can greatly influence the overall political landscape at the national level.

Considering the closely divided House of Representatives, these decisions can determine whether the majority leans towards the Republican or Democratic party, even without a single voter shifting loyalty. Legal challenges to maps in Florida and other states, including Alabama, Louisiana, New York, North Carolina, and Wisconsin, may play a decisive role in which party controls Congress following the 2024 elections.

What’s Next: Florida may need to create a new map for 2024, pending an appeal.

As per the ruling, Florida is prohibited from utilizing the unconstitutional map in the 2024 election. State legislators are obligated to draw a new map that upholds the voting power of Black Floridians.

However, since this was a lower-court ruling, Florida officials have the option to appeal. The case might progress to the Florida Supreme Court, which is currently composed of appointees of Governor DeSantis and could potentially overturn the ruling.

If the legislators are indeed required to redraw the map, it remains uncertain how the new version will look and whether they will adhere to the ruling or attempt to push its boundaries in order to maximize Republican advantage, similar to what transpired in Alabama after the Supreme Court declared their map to be in violation of the federal Voting Rights Act.