Fla. to hold special session to redrawn voting map

GARY FINEOUT
Associated Press

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida legislators will hold a nine-day special session to redraw the state’s 27 congressional districts.

Legislative leaders made it official on Monday that the session begins Thursday at noon.

Senate President Don Gaetz says legislators will draw a new map that fixes two districts that a judge declared invalid. One district stretches from Jacksonville to Orlando, while the other is in central Florida.

Gaetz says in a statement that the new congressional map should have “minimal impact” on districts outside those areas.

A Florida circuit judge in July declared the state’s current congressional map illegal because two districts have been drawn to benefit Republicans in violation of anti-gerrymandering laws.

Judge Terry Lewis last week ordered legislators to draw up a replacement map by Aug. 15

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Federal News Network Logo
Log in to your WTOP account for notifications and alerts customized for you.

Sign up