More challenges to Florida’s recently redrawn congressional districts are winding through the judicial system. Now a divided appeals court wants the Florida Supreme Court to decide if the state's newest congressional map is legal.
Florida lawmakers redrew seven of the state’s 27 congressional districts in August after a judge determined the old map had been gerrymandered. A coalition of groups who had sued over the original map say the new version isn’t much better. And Democratic lawmakers claim Republicans left them out of the redrawing process.
Wednesday the First District Court of Appeal ruled 2-to-1 to send the case up to the Florida Supreme Court.
The revised and still-contested congressional district map won’t take effect this year.
Four years ago, voters approved a constitutional amendment banning legislators from drawing districts that favor incumbents or political parties. A circuit judge in July ruled that two congressional districts were invalid, leading state lawmakers to hold a special session to change some of the lines.
