Progressive civic organizations have contested the way the Republican-led Florida Legislature drew four congressional districts and seven state House districts in South Florida. They argue that these districts were designed in a way that favors Hispanics, but Florida’s Hispanic population is too varied to be considered a single protected minority group.
The groups filed a lawsuit last Thursday, claiming that these districts violate the Constitution. They have asked a federal court in South Florida to prevent these districts from being used in future elections. The defendants named in the lawsuit are the Florida House of Representatives and Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd.
On Saturday, a request for comment was made to the Secretary of State’s office.
Under federal and state laws, race can be a factor in redistricting to protect minority voters, but only if the minority group is united and if white voters could otherwise prevent the minority group from electing their chosen candidates.
The U.S. Supreme Court (Via Ben Kane/Shutterstock)
According to the lawsuit, the Florida Legislature incorrectly assumed that Hispanic voters in South Florida vote as a single block. In reality, the Hispanic community in South Florida is diverse and has varied political preferences. The lawsuit argues that the Legislature made a mistake by creating districts based on incorrect assumptions about racial unity.
“The Hispanic community in South Florida is nuanced, diverse, and has varied political behaviors and preferences,” the lawsuit stated. “The Legislature did not have the right to create districts based on uninformed beliefs about racial similarity.”
