Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschNovember 9, 2015

As Douglas Adams wrote in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” “We demand rigidly defined areas of doubt and uncertainty!” That pretty much describes Florida’s political landscape right now, with a year until Election Day (and, perhaps more astonishingly, just four months to the Presidential Preference Primary). A slew of key state races are as […]

Jim RosicaNovember 5, 2015

The Florida Legislature became the little engine that couldn’t on Thursday, failing to agree on a new map redrawing the state Senate districts after three weeks of trying in a Special Session. This makes three out of four legislative sessions this year that ended in discord, this time in a redistricting session that itself likely […]

Jim RosicaNovember 4, 2015

As the Special Session for Senate redistricting drew to a close, lawmakers were taking time off. On Wednesday, two senators had excused absences and weren’t on the floor as their colleagues OK’d a conference process to finish redrawing the district map. Sen. Maria Sachs, a Delray Beach Democrat, “had a personal commitment” and Sen. Denise Grimsley, a […]

Jim RosicaOctober 27, 2015

The “coalition plaintiffs” in the state Senate redistricting challenge announced Tuesday night they were submitting their own redrawn district map – weeks after the chairman of the chamber’s redistricting panel invited them to participate in the map-making process. The Senate set up its own map on Tuesday for a Wednesday vote, one that combines a version of South Florida districts […]

Jim RosicaOctober 27, 2015

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The Florida Senate on Tuesday agreed to amend its proposed redrawn district map with a “sandbox” that again moves the lines in South Florida. The plan by GOP state Sen. Miguel Diaz de la Portilla also happens to ensure he wouldn’t have to run against fellow Republican Miami-Dade incumbent Anitere Flores. The Senate, however, put off a vote […]

Jim RosicaOctober 26, 2015

The Florida Senate’s second-ranking Democrat has filed five more plans for consideration in the ongoing Special Session to redraw the state’s 40 senatorial districts. The chamber’s redistricting web page shows that state Sen. Oscar Braynon II of Miami Gardens filed the maps Sunday. Braynon, the Democratic leader pro tempore, also is vice chair of the Reapportionment Committee. Its […]

Jim RosicaOctober 23, 2015

The Florida Senate’s panel on redistricting on Friday narrowly cleared a new map resetting the boundaries of the state’s 40 senatorial districts. The committee’s recommended map (S9090) next will be heard on the Senate floor Tuesday. It was approved on a 4-3 party-line vote. Committee chair Bill Galvano, a Bradenton Republican, said all senators will almost certainly be […]

Staff ReportsOctober 21, 2015

The state House and Senate have issued legislative calendar changes for the final week of 2015 Special Session C, which is set to end Nov. 6. The session was convened to amend Senate maps, ordered by a Florida Supreme Court judgment that found the upper chamber violated anti-gerrymandering laws. A number of scheduled hearing times […]

Jim RosicaOctober 20, 2015

Two Democratic lawmakers have filed identical bills that would punish state lawmakers for gerrymandering political districts, up to removal from office. State Sen. Darren Soto of Orlando and state Rep. Dwight Dudley of St. Petersburg filed the legislation (SB 6-C/HB 3-C) on Tuesday. But it’s almost certain the bills won’t be taken up by the Legislature; they would first need […]

Gary FineoutOctober 19, 2015

Florida’s Republican-led Legislature, which has split this year over everything from health care spending to new congressional districts, could be engulfed in a new political firestorm. Legislators opened up a 19-day Special Session on Monday with the goal of redrawing state Senate districts. Legislative leaders called the Special Session after the Senate acknowledged in court […]

Tag: special session

Peter Schorsch: A year out from Election Day in Florida, confusion, uncertainty reign

Senate votes down redistricting map, ending Special Session

As Special Session winds down, lawmakers take off

Plaintiffs now say they’re filing their own Senate district map

Senate takes Miguel Diaz de la Portilla map with South Florida changes

Oscar Braynon files five more Senate maps

Senate panel barely clears new redistricting map

Legislative chambers revise schedule for final week of Special Session

Democratic legislation would create penalties for gerrymandering

Florida legislators already at odds over new Senate maps