Overview

• The ACLU filed a lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for not scheduling special elections for two vacant state legislative seats in House District 3 and Senate District 19.
• The lawsuit claims DeSantis's inaction violates his legal obligation under Florida law to promptly fill legislative vacancies through special elections.
• The two seats were vacated after state legislators Joel Rudman and Randy Fine resigned to run for congressional seats tied to President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration.
• The delay in scheduling elections could leave voters in the affected districts without representation for significant portions of the 2025 legislative session, which begins on March 4.
• The ACLU seeks a court order requiring DeSantis to set election dates immediately, arguing that past governors acted more swiftly in similar situations.