Fair Districts Groups Object to New Senate Map
Friday, April 6, 2012
By: Lynn Hatter

April 6, 2012 | WMFE - Three of the groups that backed the Fair Districts amendments to the state constitution say the state Senate's new district map is still unacceptable and they are putting forth their own plan. The League of Women Voters, the National Council of La Raza and Common Cause say their alternative map complies with the Fair Districts amendments.

 
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi submitted the Florida Legislature's redrawn Senate map to the state Supreme Court Thursday.

The justices initially approved the House map but rejected the Senate plan because they said it violated new Fair District standards.
The amendments, passed by voters in 2010, say that districts cannot be drawn to favor incumbents or political parties, must be compact and adhere to existing geographical boundaries.

The coalition of Fair Districts groups say the Legislature's revised map still violates the  anti-gerrymandering rules. Deirdre Macnab is president of the League of Women Voters of Florida
“The Senate did just what they did the last time.” Macnab said. “They protected the districts of incumbents and put together a political protection plan, which is not what the people of Florida voted for when they approved Amendments Five and Six and put them in to the state constitution.”

The Senate had to redraw its voting maps after the Florida Supreme Court ruled the original plan favored incumbents.  The Attorney General’s office has also asked the U.S. Department of Justice to approve the new plans.

The court must approve or redraw the map before candidate qualifying begins June 4th.