State Senate Approves New District Maps
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
By: Rick Stone

Jan. 18, 2012 | WMFE - The Florida Senate has approved a pair of redistricting maps that will put its own 40 members and Florida's 27 members of Congress in new voting districts. The maps were drawn under the rules of the new Fair Districts amendments. But Democratic leaders and some African-American senators have issues that are likely to send the maps to court.

The amendments explicitly prohibited partisan motives. No incumbent or party could be

favored or sabotaged by the redrawing of district lines. Senate Redistricting Chairman, Republican State Senator Don Gaetz says that was done but some senators and congressmen complain that, with the newly draw maps, they would no longer live in the districts they’ve represented for years.
Some would have thousands of new constituents who have never heard of them.

The important thing, Gaetz told the Senate at the conclusion of a day-long session Tuesday, is that the will of the people was heeded and followed.

“We have honored the command of our constitution to draw maps without intentional favoritism.” Gaetz said.

Most but not all of Florida’s 67 counties and many of its cities are entirely contained in single state Senate or Congressional districts. Where divisions occur, it’s generally to unite interests and lifestyles, such as the farming areas of two contiguous counties or the beach towns along the Panhandle.
The vote was 34 to 6 on both maps with many Democrats joining the Republicans to approve them.
But minority leader Nan Rich of Broward County was not among them.

“After all this work we ultimately produced maps that favored the party in power and sitting incumbents.” Rich said.

Rich and several black senators said Republicans are clear in Congressional District 3, which sprawls from Jacksonville to Orlando picking up far more black voters than Congresswoman Corinne Brown needs to be re-elected. African-American senators said they would rather have fewer blacks in District 3 and more influence on surrounding districts. But Republican Senator Joe Negron of Martin County, a member of the redistricting committee, seemed incredulous.

“How does it help the cause of African Americans to reduce the number of voting age blacks from 50 percent to 36 percent?”
Negron asked.

Rich said it’s because 36 percent is enough to re-elect Brown, and anything over that bleaches nearby districts of black, Democratic votes.

“Bleaching seats in the name of minority protection is a practice that must be resisted.” Rich said. “It ultimately reduces the protection minority votes have.”

The maps now go to the state House, where a redistricting plan for its own seats is also being developed. But the final decision rests with the Florida Supreme Court which will make sure the new maps comply with the new, Fair Districts amendments and all other state laws

View the Senate's proposed maps at this site:

http://www.flsenate.gov/senators/districts