Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Jim RosicaOctober 19, 2015

State Sen. Bill Galvano, who chairs his chamber’s redistricting panel, on Monday said sitting senators may not have to stand for re-election even if their districts change because of the current effort to reapportion the state Senate. Galvano, a lawyer and Bradenton Republican, spoke on the floor of the Senate during the first day of the Special Session […]

Ryan RayOctober 19, 2015

The Florida House of Representatives briefly gaveled into Session Monday and Speaker Steve Crisafulli told his 120-member chamber to expect to take a back seat to the state Senate, who like the House returned to Tallahassee this week for the third time this year. “Since the subject of this session is the Senate map, we’ve established […]

Associated PressSeptember 24, 2015

Beginning on Thursday morning, a Florida judge will try to sort out the political mess left because of squabbling over the state’s 27 congressional districts. The Florida Supreme Court in July ordered the Republican-controlled Legislature to redraw the state’s congressional districts after finding the current map violated standards adopted by voters. But the House and Senate […]

Guest AuthorAugust 17, 2015

With the complexities involved over the redistricting cases winding their way through Florida courts, I shouldn’t be surprised how easily the Democrats are getting away with their misinformation campaign, and I really shouldn’t be surprised how willing the media is to repeat the Democrat talking points. Let’s review, first, what the constitutional amendments governed. The […]

Darryl PaulsonJuly 15, 2015

As someone who has testified many times in Florida reapportionment cases, the voters of Florida and then the state Supreme Court got most everything wrong when it comes to “Fair Districts.” I have been hired numerous times by the state or national NAACP to testify about the legacy of voter discrimination in Florida. When you […]

Guest AuthorAugust 26, 2014

Floridians voted yesterday. But it hardly mattered. Worse than gerrymandered, Florida’s voting districts have now been “terrymandered,” thanks to Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis. The whole sordid affair is enough to make a manic-depressive out of all Floridians who care about clean government. For a euphoric nanosecond, it looked like Florida was about to enjoy […]

Bob SparksJuly 21, 2014

Aug. 26 is primary election day, but this event may or may not take place on time, depending on a ruling, or rulings, yet to come from Circuit Judge Terry P. Lewis of Leon County. First, a little background. On July 10, Lewis ruled as unconstitutional two of Florida’s 27 congressional districts drawn and passed […]

Julie DelegalJuly 13, 2014

The Redistricting Case The League of Women voters won their court challenge to Florida’s congressional map last week. Leon County Circuit Court Judge Terry Lewis agreed with the League that Florida’s latest congressional map was drawn to favor one political party (Republicans) over the other (Democrats.) Lewis invalidated the map as unconstitutional, and called for […]

Guest AuthorMay 28, 2014

Like a small handful of Floridians, I’ve been watching the redistricting hearing in Tallahassee over the U.S. Congressional district maps. As someone who drew and submitted maps, some of which were accepted by the Legislature, I am bemused by the efforts to focus on the politics surrounding the creation of the maps, but not on […]

Tag: Fair Districts Amendments

Bill Galvano: No new elections for senators whose districts change

Speaker Steve Crisafulli says Senate will (mostly) take the lead in redistricting Session

Redistricting trial set to begin today

Must-read op-ed from Stafford Jones: Who is really doing the gerrymandering?

Darryl Paulson: What is really "fair districting" in Florida?

Stephen Goldstein: Florida Republicans celebrate death of democracy

Bob Sparks: Judge Terry Lewis is back in the election spotlight again

Julie Delegal: Congresswoman Brown shouldn’t fight redistricting ruling

Henry Kelley: Tallahassee trial won’t result in fair voting districts in Florida