Fight to restore Black voters’ strength could dismantle Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment
3 months, 1 week ago

Fight to restore Black voters’ strength could dismantle Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A coalition of voting rights groups is pointing to a voter-approved amendment to argue Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis violated the state constitution when he dismantled a Black congressional district, but if they lose the case, the Fair Districts Amendment itself could also be tossed out. “Will the whole FDA have to go?” In 2010, Florida voters approved the Fair Districts Amendment prohibiting political districts from being drawn to favor a political party or incumbent. In 2022, DeSantis vetoed a map that would have preserved former Black Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Lawson’s district and forced the Legislature to accept a map that created a more compact district favoring Republican candidates. While the Fair Districts Amendment was already in place when state Supreme Court approved Lawson’s district a decade ago, the court has vastly changed since then.

Court Black Districts Amendment Desantis Lawson Fair Districts Amendment Florida District  black  restore  fight  court  floridas  desantis  voters  map  state  fair  amendment  strength  florida  district  districts  dismantle

History of this topic

Supreme Court to hear case challenging Louisiana’s second majority-Black district
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Supreme Court to hear case challenging Louisiana’s second majority-Black district

Politico  

After a long, winding legal battle — which included a lower court finding in 2022 that the original map likely violated the VRA — the state legislature drew a new map that created a second majority-Black district in the state. The state, joined by civil rights groups that support the new map, appealed to the Supreme Court, seeking permission to …

Federal Judge Shoots Down Ron DeSantis’ War Against Free Speech
2 months ago

Federal Judge Shoots Down Ron DeSantis’ War Against Free Speech

Slate  

Ron DeSantis, a Republican, is using every conceivable tool at his disposal to maintain his state’s six-week abortion ban. Dahlia Lithwick: Last time we checked in on Amendment 4, Ron DeSantis’ Department of Health was threatening criminal penalties for TV stations that aired a factually true pro-choice ad, claiming it was false and dangerous. Thankfully, the lawsuit got assigned to …

Groups claim South Florida districts are racially gerrymandered for Hispanics in lawsuit
6 months, 4 weeks ago

Groups claim South Florida districts are racially gerrymandered for Hispanics in lawsuit

Associated Press  

MIAMI — Progressive civic groups have challenged how four congressional districts and seven state House districts in South Florida were drawn by the Republican-controlled Florida Legislature, claiming they were racially gerrymandered for Hispanics who are too diverse in Florida to be considered a protected minority. “Rather, it is nuanced, multifaceted, and diverse with respect to political behavior and preferences,” the …

Supreme Court upholds new Black-majority district in Louisiana that may elect Democrat to Congress
7 months, 1 week ago

Supreme Court upholds new Black-majority district in Louisiana that may elect Democrat to Congress

LA Times  

Supreme Court justices were acting on emergency appeals from civil rights lawyers as well as Louisiana’s Republican leaders. The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside a decision by two Trump-appointed judges in Louisiana and restored a state election map that may allow Black voters to elect a Democrat to Congress this fall. In a separate case last year, the Supreme …

Judge: Louisiana legislative districts dilute Black voting strength, violate the Voting Rights Act
10 months, 2 weeks ago

Judge: Louisiana legislative districts dilute Black voting strength, violate the Voting Rights Act

Associated Press  

NEW ORLEANS — New state House and Senate boundary lines drawn up by the Louisiana Legislature in 2022 dilute Black voting strength in violation of the U.S. Voting Rights Act, a federal judge in Baton Rouge ruled Thursday. U.S. District Judge Shelly Dick’s ruling blocked the use of the House and Senate district maps in future elections and gave the …

A lawsuit seeks to block Louisiana’s new congressional map that has 2nd mostly Black district
10 months, 3 weeks ago

A lawsuit seeks to block Louisiana’s new congressional map that has 2nd mostly Black district

Associated Press  

NEW ORLEANS — The Louisiana Legislature’s redrawn congressional map giving the state a second mostly Black district is being challenged by 12 self-described “non-African American” voters in a new lawsuit. The challenge filed Wednesday and assigned to a judge in Lafayette says the map, which Republican lawmakers agreed to as a result of a 2022 federal lawsuit filed in Baton …

Federal judge accepts redrawn Georgia congressional and legislative districts that will favor GOP
11 months, 3 weeks ago

Federal judge accepts redrawn Georgia congressional and legislative districts that will favor GOP

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — A federal judge on Thursday accepted new Georgia congressional and legislative voting districts that protect Republican partisan advantages, saying the creation of new majority-Black voting districts solved the illegal minority vote dilution that led him to order maps to be redrawn. McBath said in a statement that she wouldn’t “allow an extremist few Republicans” to “decide when my …

Appeals court takes DeSantis’ side in challenge to a map that helped unseat a Black congressman
1 year ago

Appeals court takes DeSantis’ side in challenge to a map that helped unseat a Black congressman

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Legislature didn’t violate the state constitution when it approved congressional maps pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis that helped the GOP replace a Black Democratic representative with a white conservative, an appeals court ruled Friday. The 1st District Court of Appeal reversed a lower court’s ruling that the map that rewrote U.S. Rep. Alan Lawson’s …

Judge says Georgia’s congressional and legislative districts are discriminatory and must be redrawn
1 year, 1 month ago

Judge says Georgia’s congressional and legislative districts are discriminatory and must be redrawn

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — A federal judge ruled Thursday that some of Georgia’s congressional, state Senate and state House districts were drawn in a racially discriminatory manner, ordering the state to draw an additional Black-majority congressional district. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones, in a 516-page order, also ordered the state to draw two new Black-majority districts in Georgia’s 56-member state Senate and …

Samuel Alito Really, Really, Really Wants to Save This Racial Gerrymander in South Carolina
1 year, 2 months ago

Samuel Alito Really, Really, Really Wants to Save This Racial Gerrymander in South Carolina

Slate  

This is part of Opening Arguments, Slate’s coverage of the start of the latest Supreme Court term. According to past precedent, overturning the factual findings of that panel—including its weighing of the voluminous evidence and testimony of expert witnesses—would require the Supreme Court to find “clear error” in the district court’s findings. It appeared things might be going toward that …

DeSantis purposely dismantled a Black congressional district, attorney says as trial over map begins
1 year, 2 months ago

DeSantis purposely dismantled a Black congressional district, attorney says as trial over map begins

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — On the same day Alabama Black voters scored a victory in the U.S. Supreme Court, a federal trial opened in Florida in which lawyers say Republican Gov. “He pressed his argument by sound bite bullying.” The result was a map that helped Republicans earn a majority in the House and left Black voters in north Florida with …

Fla. Gov. DeSantis' redistricting plan is being challenged in federal court
1 year, 2 months ago

Fla. Gov. DeSantis' redistricting plan is being challenged in federal court

NPR  

DeSantis' redistricting plan is being challenged in federal court MICHEL MARTIN, HOST: Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is in California, where he is expected to take part in another Republican presidential debate tomorrow. DeSantis surprised Republican lawmakers last year by insisting on a map that eliminated a voting district in North Florida with a sizable Black population. DeSantis's map eliminated a …

A Supreme Court redistricting ruling gave hope to Black voters. They’re still waiting for new maps
1 year, 3 months ago

A Supreme Court redistricting ruling gave hope to Black voters. They’re still waiting for new maps

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court’s decision siding with Black voters in an Alabama redistricting case gave Democrats and voting rights activists a surprising opportunity before the 2024 elections. Shawn Donahue of the State University of New York at Buffalo, an expert on voting rights and redistricting, said the Supreme Court could put a quick end to the delays and “summarily …

A judge must now decide if Georgia voting districts are racially discriminatory after a trial ended
1 year, 3 months ago

A judge must now decide if Georgia voting districts are racially discriminatory after a trial ended

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — A trial challenging voting district maps in Georgia concluded Thursday with the state arguing that court intervention on behalf of Black voters isn’t needed, while the plaintiffs argued that Black voters are still fighting opposition from white voters and need federal help to get a fair shot. If U.S. District Judge Steve Jones rules for the challengers, one …

Legal fights over voting districts could play role in control of Congress for 2024
1 year, 3 months ago

Legal fights over voting districts could play role in control of Congress for 2024

Associated Press  

Democrats got a potential boost for the 2024 congressional elections as courts in Alabama and Florida ruled recently that Republican-led legislatures had unfairly diluted the voting power of Black residents. Another trial alleging racial violations in voting districts got underway Tuesday in Georgia, where Democrats also hope to make gains, while voting rights advocates in Ohio decided to drop a …

A Georgia redistricting trial begins with a clash over what federal law requires for Black voters
1 year, 3 months ago

A Georgia redistricting trial begins with a clash over what federal law requires for Black voters

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — Challengers to Georgia’s voting district maps told a federal judge Tuesday that the state is legally required to provide more political opportunities to Black voters, while the state suggested plaintiffs are trying to impose illegal racial gerrymanders of congressional and legislative districts. “Black voters were shut out of new political opportunities, even though new Black-majority districts could have …

DeSantis' redistricting map in Florida is unconstitutional and must be redrawn, judge says
1 year, 3 months ago

DeSantis' redistricting map in Florida is unconstitutional and must be redrawn, judge says

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Ron DeSantis violates the state constitution and is …

DeSantis’ redistricting map in Florida is unconstitutional and must be redrawn, judge says
1 year, 3 months ago

DeSantis’ redistricting map in Florida is unconstitutional and must be redrawn, judge says

Associated Press  

A Florida redistricting plan pushed by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis violates the state constitution and is prohibited from being used for any future U.S. congressional elections since it diminishes the ability of Black voters in north Florida to pick a representative of their choice, a state judge ruled Saturday. Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh sent the plan back to the …

Deal over Florida’s redistricting plan could lead to restoration of Black-dominant district
1 year, 4 months ago

Deal over Florida’s redistricting plan could lead to restoration of Black-dominant district

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Voting rights groups that sued state officials over a Florida redistricting plan championed by Gov. The agreement reached late last week opens the possibility that the seat will be restored to a district dominated by Black voters, depending on how a state judge rules and whether the judge’s decision survives rounds of appeals all the way to …

Plaintiffs in voting rights case urge judges to toss Alabama’s new congressional map
1 year, 4 months ago

Plaintiffs in voting rights case urge judges to toss Alabama’s new congressional map

Associated Press  

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Voting rights activists are returning to court to fight Alabama’s redrawn congressional districts, saying state Republicans failed to follow federal court orders to create a district that is fair to Black voters. A special three-judge panel in 2022 blocked use of the the state’s existing districts and said any new congressional map should include two districts where …

Judge refuses to toss discrimination lawsuits over Georgia voting districts
1 year, 5 months ago

Judge refuses to toss discrimination lawsuits over Georgia voting districts

Associated Press  

ATLANTA — A judge has refused to dismiss lawsuits alleging Georgia’s congressional and legislative districts illegally discriminate against Black voters. The orders apply to three cases, one challenging the lines of Georgia’s 14 congressional districts and two challenging the lines of the 56 state Senate and 180 state House districts. In the state legislative cases, the challengers argue a map …

Supreme Court unfreezes Louisiana redistricting case that could boost Black voting power before 2024
1 year, 5 months ago

Supreme Court unfreezes Louisiana redistricting case that could boost Black voting power before 2024

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Monday lifted its hold on a Louisiana political remap case, increasing the likelihood that the Republican-dominated state will have to redraw boundary lines to create a second mostly Black congressional district. “What this does is it puts us back on track to realize a second majority-minority district.” In a written statement, the Louisiana Legislative …

New voting districts could change again in some states before the 2024 elections
1 year, 6 months ago

New voting districts could change again in some states before the 2024 elections

Associated Press  

The 2022 elections marked the first using new voting districts drawn from updated census data. RACE IN REDISTRICTING The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a lower court ruling that Alabama’s congressional districts likely violated the federal Voting Rights Act by diluting the political power of Black voters. It ordered a lower court to impose new U.S. House and state …

Supreme Court voting rights ruling stuns minority voters, who hope it expands their representation
1 year, 6 months ago

Supreme Court voting rights ruling stuns minority voters, who hope it expands their representation

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — This week’s Supreme Court decision ordering Alabama to redraw its congressional districts was seen by many minority lawmakers and voting rights activists as a stunning victory with the potential to become a major stepping stone for undoing political maps that dilute the strength of communities of color. “As I said when I vetoed it, Louisiana’s current congressional map …

Supreme Court rules Alabama discriminated against Black voters in major victory for voting rights
1 year, 6 months ago

Supreme Court rules Alabama discriminated against Black voters in major victory for voting rights

The Independent  

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy In a victory for voting rights and Alabama voters, the …

Supreme Court rules in favor of Black Alabama voters in unexpected defense of Voting Rights Act
1 year, 6 months ago

Supreme Court rules in favor of Black Alabama voters in unexpected defense of Voting Rights Act

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Thursday issued a surprising 5-4 ruling in favor of Black voters in a congressional redistricting case from Alabama, with two conservative justices joining liberals in rejecting a Republican-led effort to weaken a landmark voting rights law. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh aligned with the court’s liberals in affirming a lower-court ruling …

Supreme Court upholds Voting Rights Act — and might have helped doom Republicans in 2024
1 year, 6 months ago

Supreme Court upholds Voting Rights Act — and might have helped doom Republicans in 2024

Raw Story  

The Supreme Court stunned political observers on Thursday in the closely watched Allen v. Milligan case, ruling that Alabama likely violated the Voting Rights Act's prohibition on racial gerrymandering when it drew a map that packs most of the state's Black voters into a single congressional district — and the decision could make it harder for Republicans to hold the …

US Supreme Court rules in favour of Alabama Black voters
1 year, 6 months ago

US Supreme Court rules in favour of Alabama Black voters

Al Jazeera  

The conservative-dominated United States Supreme Court, in a surprise ruling, has sided with Black voters who alleged a Republican-drawn districting map in the state of Alabama was discriminatory. In a 5-4 ruling, the court said that the congressional map — which had only one majority Black congressional district out of seven, in a state where more than one in four …

Supreme Court to review South Carolina congressional map for discrimination against Black voters
1 year, 7 months ago

Supreme Court to review South Carolina congressional map for discrimination against Black voters

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether South Carolina’s congressional districts need to be redrawn because they discriminate against Black voters. The justices said Monday they would review a lower-court ruling that found a coastal district running from Charleston to Hilton Head was intentionally redrawn to reduce the number of Democratic-leaning Black voters and to make it …

Panel: Florida election law didn’t target Black voters
1 year, 7 months ago

Panel: Florida election law didn’t target Black voters

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal appeals court upheld a Florida election law Thursday that a lower court had ruled was aimed at suppressing Black voters. Florida’s Republican-led Legislature has joined several others around the country in passing election reforms after Republican former President Donald Trump made unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. “We are deeply disappointed …

Judge blocks DeSantis law on barring ‘woke’ education
2 years, 1 month ago

Judge blocks DeSantis law on barring ‘woke’ education

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal judge in Florida on Thursday blocked a law pushed by Gov. Tallahassee U.S. District Judge Mark Walker issued a temporary injunction against the so-called “Stop Woke” act in a ruling that called the legislation “positively dystopian.” The law prohibits teaching or business practices that contend members of one ethnic group are inherently racist and should …

How the Supreme Court controlled the midterms
2 years, 1 month ago

How the Supreme Court controlled the midterms

Raw Story  

Midterms are over and we have the results. The other thing that’s clear is that elections are being determined by Supreme Court Abortion was the second most important issue for people in midterms according to exit polls, only a few points behind inflation. Vermont voters passed an initiative to amend the state constitution to ensure a right to “personal reproductive …

How Ron DeSantis blew up black-held congressional districts and may have broken Florida law
2 years, 2 months ago

How Ron DeSantis blew up black-held congressional districts and may have broken Florida law

Raw Story  

Ron DeSantis was incensed. Barbara Pariente, a former chief justice of the state Supreme Court who retired in 2019, told ProPublica that DeSantis’ collaboration with people connected to the national GOP would constitute “significant evidence of a violation of the constitutional amendment.” “If that evidence was offered in a trial, the fact that DeSantis was getting input from someone working …

Justices mull latest challenge to landmark voting rights law
2 years, 2 months ago

Justices mull latest challenge to landmark voting rights law

Associated Press  

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority appeared open Tuesday to making it harder to create majority Black electoral districts, in an Alabama case that could have far-reaching effects on minority voting power across the United States. The justices heard two hours of arguments in the latest showdown over the federal Voting Rights Act, with lawsuits seeking to force Alabama …

DeSantis sued by Florida prosecutor he removed over abortion
2 years, 4 months ago

DeSantis sued by Florida prosecutor he removed over abortion

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — An elected Florida prosecutor who was removed from office by Gov. DeSantis said he suspended Hillsborough County State Attorney Andrew Warren this month for signing a national pledge to not prosecute women and doctors for violating state abortion laws or families seeking treatments for transgender minors. Now seeking re-election in November and positioning himself as a potential …

Florida appeals court reinstates DeSantis congressional map
2 years, 7 months ago

Florida appeals court reinstates DeSantis congressional map

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A new congressional map drawn by Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’ staff that could diminish the state’s Black representation in Washington was reinstated by an appeals court Friday, a week after a lower court judge said the map was unconstitutional. “To avoid uncertainty and confusion in the upcoming 2022 primary and general elections, it’s important to move …

Judge blocks DeSantis’ redistricting plan; state appeals
2 years, 7 months ago

Judge blocks DeSantis’ redistricting plan; state appeals

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A judge’s ruling that a new congressional map drawn by Republican Florida Gov. Thursday’s notice of appeal came hours after Circuit Judge Layne Smith issued an injunction to prevent the DeSantis map from being used in the November election. “This Court finds that a narrow remedy — one that addresses only the diminishment discussed in this order …

Judge says he’ll block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ redistricting plan
2 years, 7 months ago

Judge says he’ll block Gov. Ron DeSantis’ redistricting plan

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A congressional map approved by Florida Republican Gov. “The judge recognizes that this map is unlawful and diminishes African Americans’ ability to elect representatives of their choice,” Lawson said in a statement emailed to news outlets. “As Judge Smith implied, these complex constitutional matters of law were always going to be decided at the appellate level,” DeSantis …

Judge announces he’ll block DeSantis’ Florida redistricting plan because it’s unconstitutional
2 years, 7 months ago

Judge announces he’ll block DeSantis’ Florida redistricting plan because it’s unconstitutional

LA Times  

A congressional map approved by Florida Republican Gov. “The judge recognizes that this map is unlawful and diminishes African Americans’ ability to elect representatives of their choice,” Lawson said in a statement emailed to news outlets. “As Judge Smith implied, these complex constitutional matters of law were always going to be decided at the appellate level,” DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske …

An appeals court reinstates portions of Florida's new election law
2 years, 7 months ago

An appeals court reinstates portions of Florida's new election law

NPR  

An appeals court reinstates portions of Florida's new election law TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal appeals court granted Florida's request to reinstate portions of the state's election law on Friday while it appeals a lower court's decision that the law was aimed at suppressing Black voters. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals said that Judge Mark Walker's March ruling that …

Voting groups sue over Florida congressional map
2 years, 8 months ago

Voting groups sue over Florida congressional map

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Voting rights groups sued Florida on Friday over a congressional map drawn by Gov. Florida lawmakers approved the map Thursday as part of a contentious three-day special legislative session during which Black and Democratic representatives staged a sit-in on the House floor, prayed and sang “We Shall Overcome” in protest. The League of Women Voters of Florida, …

Florida lawmakers take up Gov. DeSantis’ congressional map
2 years, 8 months ago

Florida lawmakers take up Gov. DeSantis’ congressional map

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — As critics decried a congressional redistricting map submitted by Republican Ron DeSantis as racially motivated and drawn to benefit the GOP, the staff member who crafted the maps told lawmakers Tuesday he didn’t take race or party politics into consideration in preparing it. DeSantis, who is a potential 2024 presidential candidate, has argued the previous map included …

DeSantis congressional map tears up Black rep’s district
2 years, 8 months ago

DeSantis congressional map tears up Black rep’s district

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A Black congressman’s district would be dismantled under a map Republican Gov. Before the map was submitted, DeSantis had said the 200-mile-long district, which would assure Black voters could choose a Black candidate, would violate constitutional standards for compactness of districts. That is not the way we’ve governed in the state of Florida,” said DeSantis, who has …

Judge strikes down parts of Florida election law; cites race
2 years, 8 months ago

Judge strikes down parts of Florida election law; cites race

Associated Press  

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A federal judge struck down portions of a Florida election law passed last year, saying in a ruling Thursday that the Republican-led government was using subtle tactics to suppress Black voters. The law tightened rules on mailed ballots, drop boxes and other popular election methods — changes that made it more difficult for Black voters who, overall, …

Judge to toss Arkansas redistricting case unless DOJ joins
2 years, 10 months ago

Judge to toss Arkansas redistricting case unless DOJ joins

Associated Press  

— A federal judge said Thursday he’s dismissing a lawsuit challenging Arkansas’ new state House districts as diluting the influence of Black voters, unless the Justice Department joins the case as a plaintiff. U.S. District Judge Lee Rudofsky said there’s “a strong merits case that at least some of the challenged districts” in the lawsuit by two groups violate the …

SCOTUS Just Blew Up the Voting Rights Act’s Ban on Racial Gerrymandering
2 years, 10 months ago

SCOTUS Just Blew Up the Voting Rights Act’s Ban on Racial Gerrymandering

Slate  

On Monday afternoon, the Supreme Court crushed yet another key component of the Voting Rights Act, halting a lower court order that required Alabama to redraw its egregious racial gerrymander. Roberts’ short dissent commended the lower court for having “properly applied existing law in an extensive opinion with no apparent errors for our correction.” This praise is remarkable in light …

In win for GOP, Supreme Court blocks new Black-majority district in Alabama
2 years, 10 months ago

In win for GOP, Supreme Court blocks new Black-majority district in Alabama

LA Times  

In its first decision on this decade’s congressional redistricting, the Supreme Court on Monday sided with Alabama’s Republicans and blocked the creation of a new Black-majority district in the state. By a 5-4 vote, the justices set aside for now a ruling by a panel of three judges, two of whom were President Trump appointees, who said the state Republican-controlled …

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs restrictive voting bill
3 years, 7 months ago

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis signs restrictive voting bill

CNN  

CNN — Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis on Thursday morning signed into law a controversial voting bill aimed at curbing access to mail-in voting in the state, joining a host of other GOP-led states pushing new limits in connection with former President Donald Trump’s baseless claims of fraud in the 2020 election. A separate lawsuit filed Thursday morning by Common …

Discover Related