State lawmakers took input from citizens in Tallahassee Monday about the redistricting process, the first of 26 public meetings throughout Florida this summer.
The meetings are designed to gather input from the public at large on the new political boundaries that legislators are tasked with drawing in light of the latest U.S. Census of 2010.
The census showed Florida is now home to 18.8 million citizens, 2.8 million more than in the last census in 2000. Because the Sunshine State grew at a faster rate than other states, it will receive two new congressional districts.
In addition to drawing the new congressional districts, state legislators must redraw their own Senate and House seats, which have seen distinct population and demographic changes since 2002, the last time political boundaries were redrawn.
Sen. Don Gaetz, R-Niceville, and Rep. Will Weatherford, R-Wesley Chapel, who co-chair their chambers respective redistricting committees, said they are committed to a transparent and open process that gathers input from all sides, but some left-wing groups are already bashing the process.
The amount of engagement, the amount of opportunity for individuals to participate in the process far exceeds anything thats ever been done before, said Weatherford, adding that citizens have the opportunity to submit comments online, in person at the public meetings, or through letters.
Several speakers Monday questioned why lawmakers didnt present maps for the public to judge before having hearings, and criticized the time line for creating the new boundaries.
Lawmakers will convene the 2012 regular legislative session in January to tackle the redistricting task, not in March as is customary. But they are not required to vote on new boundaries until early March.
Critics say that leaves little time for the mandatory court review of state House and Senate redistricting plans, as well as the required preclearance of the plans by the Department of Justice ahead of the November 2012 general elections. In some cases, primary and even general election candidates may not know what their districts look like until just before Election Day.
Why not draw them earlier and debate and discuss them in committee meetings in the fall? asked Deirdre MacNab, state president of the Florida League of Women Voters.
Gaetz stated that state laws prevent legislators from voting on new district maps until 2012, but that lawmakers would be engaged in the process throughout, and the time line could be speeded up to accommodate any court challenges.
I dont think it is necessarily true that the first vote we would take would not be until February or March, Gaetz said.
Lawmakers were also admonished by citizens to abide by Amendments 5 and 6, which voters put into the state Constitution in 2010, and which enjoin legislators not to favor or disfavor incumbents, political parties or ethnic or language minorities when drawing new districts.
Despite some harsh partisan rhetoric from special interests on both sides of the aisle, lawmakers said they got substantive input, especially from citizens who noted their elected representatives live nowhere near them, and others who wanted to see their area fairly represented.
To me, its extremely important as we draw the districts that our entire county be within one district, said Carolyn Lamb, a resident of rural Lafayette County in North Florida.
There was also a suggestion to align state House districts with state Senate districts, with three House seats within the boundary of one Senate seat.
The more you get them in line with each other, the more of an opportunity you have to save some money for the taxpayers, said Chris Moore, a demographic analyst for the Leon County Supervisor of Elections office.
Sen. John Thrasher, R-St. Augustine, seemed receptive to the idea, but said it may not work in all areas.
Reach Gray Rohrer at grohrer@sunshinestatenews.com or at (850) 727-0859.
