"His move formally places Florida in line with the national Republican effort, demanded last year by President Donald Trump, to have states change the boundaries of their congressional districts in ways to get more Republicans and fewer Democrats elected. The special session, from April 20 through April 24, comes after the scheduled adjournment of the regular legislative session. DeSantis' timetable would delay the normal timetable for congressional hopefuls to officially qualify as candidates for the August primaries."
"DeSantis, in making the announcement Wednesday, disclaimed any political motivation. He portrayed the move as something the state would have to do since he expects the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn longstanding legal interpretations of the Voting Rights Act under which states have created congressional districts designed to ensure minority voters can elect minority group members to the House. DeSantis said that's improper, and he believes that the conservative majority on the Supreme Court will uphold his view in a pending case from Louisiana."
Florida will convene a special legislative session April 20–24 to redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2026 election. The timing follows a national Republican push, initiated by President Trump, to change district boundaries mid-decade to favor more Republican seats. The special session occurs after the regular session adjourns and would delay candidate qualifying for the August primaries. Other states, including Texas and California, have engaged in mid-decade redistricting, with California voters approving changes to boost Democrats. The governor framed the move as a response to expected U.S. Supreme Court changes to Voting Rights Act interpretations and cited population change as an additional reason.
Read at Sun Sentinel
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