A circuit judge is working against the clock to decide the validity of Florida's newly drawn congressional districts in time for this year's election deadlines.
The deadline for candidates to qualify for the 2012 election cycle is noon, June 8. The primary is set for Aug. 14; the general election is Nov. 6.
The Fair Districts amendments require congressional districts to be compact and follow geographical boundaries, where feasible, and forbid the districts from being drawn to favor incumbents.
Daniel Nordby, general counsel for Secretary of State Ken Detzner, urged Judge Terry Lewis to approve the map on Wednesday. Otherwise, he said, it would be nearly impossible to have the congressional map in place before candidate-qualifying.
Challenges to the lines have been filed by the Democratic Party of Florida and a coalition of the Florida League of Women Voters, the National Council of La Raza and Common Cause of Florida. The same groups successfully challenged the state's new map for state Senate districts.
The states top court will hear arguments Friday on the Senates revised map.
George Meros, the Legislatures attorney, defended the maps, saying a careful analysis was conducted in drawing the congressional map, which he said follows the Fair Districts and the federal Voting Rights Act requirements.
However, Meros noted the conflicting requirements of the anti-gerrymandering Fair Districts efforts and the federal minority protection under the Voting Rights Act required lawmakers to delicately balance how they approached the lines.
Mark Elias, representing the Florida Democratic Party, argued that the map was designed based on current district lines rather than following the Fair Districts amendments, with minorities further packed into historically black districts.
Meros countered that black voting strength would be diminished if black voters were dispersed into surrounding white-dominated districts.
If they are reduced, there will be litigation, Meros said.
The Supreme Court has until early May to approve the Senate map or it will have another 60 days to draw new lines that it believes best follow the Fair Districts amendments.
Reach Jim Turner at jturner@sunshinestatenews.com or at (772) 215-9889.
