Minority voter protections at stake as Florida Supreme Court hears redistricting case
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The Florida Supreme Court’s conservative majority revealed the high stakes for minority voting rights Thursday as justices questioned whether protections under the state’s Fair Districts Amendments will survive Gov. Ron DeSantis’ efforts to dismantle them. Thursday’s oral arguments pitted plaintiffs against state officials in a challenge over DeSantis’ 2022 congressional map that eliminated a district where Black voters had consistently elected their preferred candidates for three decades. DeSantis’ map dismantled the former 5th Congressional District, which stretched about 200 miles across North Florida from Jacksonville to Tallahassee and was held by Democratic U. S.
Rep. Al Lawson. In its stead, DeSantis spread those voters across four separate districts, all of which elected white Republicans in 2022. While the state and plaintiffs, including Black Voters Matter and the Equal Ground Education Fund, have agreed the move diminished Black voting power in apparent violation of the state’s Fair Districts Amendments, DeSantis’ lawyers have argued the state’s protections for racial minorities violate the U. S.
Constitution. Chief Justice Carlos Muñiz and Justices Meredith Sasso and John Couriel — all DeSantis appointees — led an intense line of questioning that signaled the potential impact if the court rules against the plaintiffs. Muñiz said a ruling against the plaintiffs would likely “neuter” part of the Fair Districts Amendments codified by 63% of Florida voters in 2010, a decision that could signal the end of minority voting protections in the state. The court’s decision will not affect the 2024 elections. Muñiz also suggested that if the court strikes down the protections for racial minority groups, it may need to declare the entire Fair Districts Amendments invalid, including anti-partisan gerrymandering protections.
Even if the plaintiffs succeed, advocates worry DeSantis could appeal to the U. S. Supreme Court. “Many people have felt this is a strategy to get this issue before the U. S.
Supreme Court in ways that could do a lot of damage around the country,” said Michael Li, senior counsel for the Brennan Center’s Democracy Program. “Even though this is the Florida Supreme Court, I don’t think anyone should treat this as the end of the story.