Florida court to consider whether new US House map violates state ban on
partisan gerrymandering
[May 15, 2026]
By DAVID A. LIEB and MIKE SCHNEIDER
New U.S. House districts that could help Republicans win several
additional seats in Florida are set to face their first test in court
Friday against assertions that they violate a state constitutional ban
on partisan gerrymandering.
Lawsuits filed on behalf of voters ask a state judge to block the
districts from being used in the midterm elections. The move would
create a significant wrinkle in President Donald Trump's attempt to hold
on to a narrow House majority by redrawing voting districts to the GOP's
advantage.
Republicans already hold 20 of Florida’s 28 U.S. House seats. New voting
districts signed into law by Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis after a swift
two-day special legislative session could improve the GOP’s chances to
win four additional seats in the November elections.
Florida’s Legislature approved the new House map on April 29 — the same
day the U.S. Supreme Court weakened federal Voting Rights Act
protections for minorities while striking down a majority-Black
congressional district in Louisiana. Since then, several Southern states
have taken steps to try to eliminate minority districts that have
elected Democrats.
Congressional districts typically are redrawn once a decade, after each
census, to rebalance populations. But since Trump urged mid-decade
redistricting last year, Republicans think they could gain as many as 15
seats from new House maps in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio,
Florida, Tennessee and Alabama. Democrats, meanwhile, think they could
gain six seats from new maps in California and Utah.
Democrats had counted on winning up to four additional seats in
Virginia. But the Virginia Supreme Court last week struck down a
Democratic redistricting plan approved by voters, ruling the legislature
violated procedural requirements when placing it on the ballot.
Florida bans partisan map-making
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in 2019 that it has no authority to decide
whether partisan gerrymandering goes too far. But it said partisan
gerrymandering claims could continue to be decided in state courts under
their own constitutions and laws.
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Florida voters approved a state constitutional amendment in 2010
that prohibits U.S. House districts from being drawn with the intent
to favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent. The amendment
bars districts from diminishing the ability of racial or language
minorities to elect the representatives of their choice. It also
requires districts to be compact and, where feasible, use existing
political and geographic boundaries.
Lawsuits filed on behalf of voters seek a temporary injunction
against the new U.S. House map for violating that amendment. The
suits focus heavily on political favoritism.
“The plan takes the state’s partisan skew to an unprecedented
extreme,” said one of three lawsuits filed in Leon County.
A legal brief filed on behalf of the Florida Senate argues that
partisan intent has not been proven and a temporary injunction
against the new districts is not appropriate in advance of a fully
developed trial.
Though DeSantis called lawmakers into session before the Supreme
Court's ruling in the Louisiana case, he anticipated an eventual
outcome weakening Voting Rights Act protections for minority
districts. Among other changes, Florida's new map reshapes a
southeastern Florida district that DeSantis’ office said was created
to help elect a Black representative in an attempt to comply with
the federal Voting Rights Act.
DeSantis' office said no racial data was used to prepare the new map
he presented to the Legislature. In a memo to lawmakers, DeSantis’
General Counsel David Axelman asserted that Florida's constitutional
provision about racial redistricting violates the U.S. Constitution.
If one element is invalid, Axelman wrote, then the entire 2010
amendment is void, including provisions barring partisan
gerrymandering.
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Lieb reported from Jefferson City, Missouri, and Schneider from
Orlando, Florida.
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