Florida Voters Challenge DeSantis Redistricting Session

Florida voters have filed a petition with the state Supreme Court challenging Governor Ron DeSantis's authority to convene a special legislative session for redrawing congressional districts midway through the decade. The action, initiated by Miami-Dade County resident Elizabeth Pines and Broward County resident Eugene Pettis, questions whether DeSantis's January 7 proclamation for a five-day session the week of April 20 oversteps the Legislature's exclusive power to determine reapportionment timing.

The petition, filed Thursday, names DeSantis and Secretary of State Cord Byrd as respondents. It argues that the governor's move violates Florida's separation of powers doctrine by attempting to compel lawmakers to redraw boundaries outside the standard decennial cycle. DeSantis's proclamation specifies considering legislation to adjust congressional districts, citing population growth in Florida since the 2020 census. The state gained one congressional seat after that census, bringing its total to 28, with Republicans currently holding 20.

On the same day as the proclamation, Byrd, a DeSantis appointee, directed the state's 67 county supervisors of elections to delay congressional...