Overview
- The special session will occur after the regular session and lands on Florida’s April 24 candidate filing deadline, which could be adjusted.
- DeSantis says he wants to wait for the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Louisiana v. Callais, which could change how Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act is applied to district maps.
- Republicans currently hold 20 of 28 Florida seats, and analysts say a new map could net three to five more GOP seats, though the state’s Fair Districts Amendment poses a key legal hurdle.
- Democratic leaders, including Senate Democratic Leader Lori Berman, argue a mid-decade redraw would violate the state constitution’s ban on partisan gerrymandering and promise court challenges.
- Florida’s move fits a broader mid-cycle map fight encouraged by President Trump, as states like Texas, North Carolina and California redraw lines and Washington state Democrats advance a trigger to allow a mid-decade redo.