Florida Governor Ron DeSantis proposes new state map curtailing Black voters' powers

Florida's Republican lawmakers are considering a proposal that aims to curtail Black political power in the state. The Florida legislature is planning to authorise Governor Ron DeSantis to redraw congressional district boundaries in the state.

As of now, Florida's congressional delegation comprises 11 Democrats and 16 Republicans. However, the proposed legislative changes in Florida's maps would give Republicans a significant political advantage over Democrats by creating 20 favourable districts for the former compared to just eight for the latter. The state has recently gained an extra seat in Congress after the latest census showed growth in Florida's population.

Besides giving the Republicans a political edge over Democrats, DeSantis-backed new political redrawing of the state would eliminate two seats in Florida that are currently served by Black Democrats. At present, Florida has four seats that Black Democrats are serving.


Governor Ron DeSantis has already expressed his plan of eliminating the fifth congressional district. The newly proposed maps by DeSantis will carve out four new districts from the existing fifth congressional district. Notably, the current boundary of the fifth congressional district stretches from Jacksonville to Tallahassee, and about 46 per cent of the voters here are Black. Currently, the seat is served by Black Democrat AI Lawson.

However, several critics have termed it a "racist move". A redistricting expert at the Brennan Center for Justice, Michael Li, called DeSantis' move "gratuitous" and "mean spirited." Besides, the founder of civil society group Equal Ground, Jasmine Burney-Clark, said that the redrawing of the state would bring severe consequences for Black voters in Florida. She added that the move would make Black voters lose their "access to resources."

The fifth congressional district was created in 2015. While approving the map for the district in 2015, the state supreme court had said that it would give Black voters in northern Florida a political voice.