Gov. Ron DeSantis calls for special session in April to redraw Florida’s congressional districts
Associated Press
Orlando (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday called a special session in April for the Republican-dominated legislature to draw new congressional districts, joining the redistricting arms race.
Even though Florida’s 2026 legislative session starts next week, DeSantis said he wanted to wait for a possible ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. The ruling in Louisiana v. Callais could determine whether Section 2, a part of the Voting Rights Act that bars discrimination in voting systems, is constitutional.
The governor said “at least one or two” districts in Florida could be affected by the high court’s ruling.
“I don’t think it’s a question of if they’re going to rule. It’s a question of what the scope is going to be,” DeSantis said at a news conference in Steinhatchee, Florida. “So, we’re getting out ahead of that.”
Currently, 20 of Florida’s 28 congressional seats are held by Republicans.
Congressional districts in Florida that are redrawn to favor Republicans could carry big consequences for President Donald Trump’s plan to reshape congressional districts in GOP-led states, which could give Republicans a shot at winning additional seats in the midterm elections and retaining control of the closely divided US House.
In 2010, more than 60% of Florida voters approved a constitutional amendment prohibiting the drawing of district boundaries to unfairly favor one political party in a process known as gerrymandering. The Florida Supreme Court, however, last July upheld a congressional map pushed by DeSantis which critics said violated the “Fair Districts” amendment.
After that decision, Florida House Speaker Daniel Perez last August announced the creation of a select committee to examine the state’s congressional map.
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