The American Democracy Minute Radio News Report & Podcast for Jan. 9, 2026
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis called an April special session of the legislature with the intent of redrawing the state’s congressional districts, further escalating the gerrymandering wars started last summer by President Donald Trump. An estimated three to five additional GOP seats are expected.
The special session begins April 20th after the regular session concludes, according to a statement by the governor’s office. The new map is likely to be immediately challenged as a violation of Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment, prohibiting racial and partisan gerrymandering, passed with 63% of the vote in 2010.
The 2022 process was anything but compliant. Governor DeSantis vetoed the legislature’s least-changed congressional map, and forced through an aggressively gerrymandered map splitting the 5th District into four parts and diluting the historically Black north Florida district. Despite the obvious violation of the state constitution, the Florida Supreme Court allowed the new map, saying the former District 5 violated the Equal Protection Clause of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th Amendment.
A Florida House redistricting committee has already met to consider new maps, but it’s also possible DeSantis may again insert himself into the process. In 2022, he hired an outside firm which ProPublica reports was paid $450,000 for redistricting work. Florida’s statewide candidate registration window for the August 18th primary ends June 12th.
We have more on Florida’s redistricting at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org. I’m Brian Beihl.
Today’s Links
Articles & Resources:
BallotPedia – Florida Amendment 6, Congressional District Requirements Initiative (2010)
Florida Politics – (2022) Gov. DeSantis signals he won’t sign Legislature’s proposed congressional maps
ProPublica (2022) How Ron DeSantis Blew Up Black-Held Congressional Districts and May Have Broken Florida Law
American Democracy Minute – (2023) DeSantis Congressional Map Diluting Black Voting Power Heads to Florida Supreme Court After Being Upheld by Appeals Court
Bolts Magazine – Floridians Restricted Gerrymandering. Their Justices Are Retreating on Enforcing That.
Florida Phoenix – (2025) DeSantis says Florida ‘will be forced’ to redistrict because of pending U.S. Supreme Court decision
Florida Phoenix – Governor calls an April special session on redistricting
Groups Taking Action:
Commom Cause FL, Southern Poverty Law Center, Equal Ground
Register or Check Your Voter Registration:
U.S. Election Assistance Commission – How to Register And Vote in Your State
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