Florida Senate passes new Senate maps over ‘packing’ complaints

TALLAHASSEE – Over complaints that its work continued decades-old gerrymandering, Senate Republicans rammed through a proposed map for their own 40 seats that more evenly divides population gains over the last decade and maintains an electoral advantage for the majority-party. The Senate map, SJR 1176, was fast-tracked 34-6 after a daylong debate in which Democrats said the majority was violating the Fair Districts reforms voters passed in 2010. But Senate President Mike Haridopolos , R-Merritt Island, called Florida’s example a “model for America.” The Senate map would create 22 Senate districts with GOP voter-majorities but 24 districts that voted for Republican John McCain in 2008 and are likely to be safe Republican seats. Some Democrats complained the maps kept in place racially “packed” districts that ensure more Democratic votes will be concentrated in fewer Senate districts – a process that was perfectly legal in past redistricting cycles, but was prohibited by the anti-gerrymandering reform. “For the last 20 years, this kind of packing of African-American voters has been used to ensure the election of a disproportionate number of Republican candidates,” said Sen. Arthenia Joyner , D-Tampa. The Senate maps have five seats likely to elect blacks, five that should elect Latino candidates, and one in Miami-Dade that could go either way. “It also ensures that we will be in a perpetual minority in the House and

the Senate,” Joyner said, “with little opportunity to advance an agenda that will benefit the very people we represent.” But the Democratic opposition was divided. Democratic Sens. Gary Siplin of Orlando, Bill Montford of Tallahassee, Larcenia Bullard of Miami, Gwen Margolis of Miami Beach, Eleanor Sobel of Hollywood, and Jeremy Ring of Margate all broke with their party leader and supported the maps. Republicans currently have a 28-12 advantage in the Senate, even though Democrats have a roughly 500,000-vote edge among the state’s 11 million registered voters. While Fair Districts requires lawmakers to protect minority voting rights, it also bars drawing maps that intentionally help incumbents or political parties. Republicans have said the new contours reflect where people live, and the public input they have received over the last six months. Sen. Evelyn Lynn , R-Ormond Beach, called it “unbelievable” that black lawmakers were complaining and voting against a map that preserved minority seats. “How you could do that I do not know, because I could not do that.” Senate Majority Leader Andy Gardiner , R-Orlando, called out the League of Women Voters for producing a map last week that could have led to fewer minority senators by spreading Democratic voters over more seats. “They diminish minority access in the seats,” Gardiner said.

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Florida Senate passes new Senate maps over ‘packing’ complaints

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