Florida redistricting after the 2020 census diluted Black voting power in the district previously held by Rep. Al Lawson
The Florida Supreme Court will take up a challenge to a controversial congressional map that voting rights groups say discriminates against Black voters, though a ruling is not expected to come in time for the slate of elections in 2024.
The state’s high court agreed to hear
Last September, the circuit court ruled the map was unconstitutional because the state’s Supreme Court previously determined that the district previously held by Lawson “performs for Black voters in North Florida and is therefore protected under Florida’s non-diminishment standard.”
The ruling was appealed, which led to the First District Court of Appeal reversing the lower court in December. The appeals court ruled the map was constitutional and that the voting rights groups lacked sufficient evidence to back their claim.
“There was no evidentiary basis for the conclusion that CD-5 afforded a legally cognizable Black community voting power that it did not otherwise have,” read an excerpt from the opinion.
The voting rights groups then petitioned the Florida Supreme Court in an effort to have the map redrawn before the 2024 election, however that is unlikely.
“It’s almost certain that we will go yet another election in which Black voters rights in Florida will have been annihilated,” Warren of the ACLU said.
Warren told theGrio, that “Even if at the end of this case, the Supreme Court decides to uphold the Constitution … Gov. DeSantis and his allies in the legislature will have gotten away with” crippling the Black vote.
Albright of Black Voters Matter told theGrio, “It’s unfortunate … that voters may not be able to have their voices heard again.”
Shropshire of BlackPAC told theGrio, “Republicans want to pick their voters as opposed to letting voters pick their representatives.”
“These efforts are designed to make sure that those who are representing us don’t actually have our community’s best interest at heart,” she added.
Wallace of the NAACP told theGrio, “As we continue to experience extremist attempts to erode progress within our nation, it is more important than ever that we protect this sacred right.”
“Voting is power and is paramount to progress. We must refuse any attempts to suppress our voices and continue carrying this nation forward,” she said.
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