Overview
- Florida’s Legislature will open a weeklong special session on congressional redistricting on April 20 in Tallahassee.
- Gov. Ron DeSantis says lawmakers should proceed even without a Supreme Court ruling on the Voting Rights Act, predicting the outcome and saying Justice Samuel Alito is writing the opinion, though the court has not issued a decision.
- Backers cite rapid growth since 2020, noting a Census report that Florida’s population rose 8.24%, yet mapmakers must still rely on 2020 data for any immediate changes.
- An Emerson College poll found 56% of likely voters call a mid-decade redraw a bad idea, and some Republicans warn aggressive lines could put incumbents at risk.
- The national fight has largely narrowed to Florida and Virginia, where a redistricting referendum is set for April 21, as some White House officials privately urge Florida to slow to limit tit-for-tat moves in other states.