Two constitutional amendments that would change how the state redraws its legislative and congressional districts could turn Florida into Lawsuit City, Sen. Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, told reporters at a demonstration of state redistricting practices Friday.
Haridopolos said marrying the amendments to the states congressional and legislative redistricting laws, as proposed by the bipartisan FairDistrictsFlorida.org, would be challenging, to say the least.
Proponents -- most of them Democrats -- claim the amendments seek to eliminate political bias in redistricting, nothing more. They will be decided on by voters in November.
The issue of redrawing districts is inescapable as the 2010 Census approaches. The state last redrew its districts, along with all other states, in 2002, and it will be required to do so again in 2012.
The amendments propose that congressional and legislative redistricting must not favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent and must provide equal voting rights for racial and non-English-speaking minorities. They also propose that districts be compact, as equal in population as possible and use existing geographic boundaries when possible.
The state is currently only required to ensure each district is contiguous and complies with the One Person, One Vote law and the Civil Rights Act.
Haridopolos and John Guthrie, the Senate staff director of apportionment and redistricting, illustrated for a room of befuddled reporters the nuances of the redistricting system the state used after it last redrew districts in 2002.
Working eastward across the state from the Panhandle, Guthrie asked reporters for advice in creating districts of the right size. But each attempt ended up favoring a political party, at least by Haridopolos analysis.
These are the easy ones, Haridopolos said.
Haridopolos said the Fair Districts' amendments are well-intentioned but misguided. Floridas 2002 redistricting drew its share of contention and lawsuits. This plan will allow residents to sue over incumbency and political bias. He said he is willing to work with members of the group backing Fair Districts, but they have not been receptive.
The campaign chairwoman for Fair Districts Florida said she is not surprised at Haridopolos' satements.
Ive heard him say that before, and it doesnt surprise me that hes saying it again, Ellen Freidin said.
Freidin said that redistricting according to Fair Districts amendments is possible, and she pointed out that the state Supreme Court OK'd the groups request to petition for the amendments early last year. She said lawmakers are only opposed to the change because it would prevent them from using redistricting to advance their political agendas. Freidin said Haridopolos has challenged the group to draw its own redistricting plan, but the group has refused. That job is for the legislators, she said.
For Fair Districts to draw maps doesnt make any sense, she said.
