TALLAHASSEE \u2014 Two South Florida voters want the state Supreme Court to determine if Gov. Ron DeSantis had the authority to call for mid-decade congressional redistricting and delay candidate qualifying.<\/p>\n
The petition asks the court to determine if the governor\u2019s Jan. 7 proclamation for a special legislative session<\/a> the week of April 20 to redraw congressional districts encroached on the power of the Legislature, as it proclaimed that 2026 is \u201ca year in which the Legislature will apportion the state.\u201d<\/p>\n The petition, by Miami-Dade County resident Elizabeth Pines and Broward County resident Eugene Pettis, also questions DeSantis\u2019 directive to Secretary of State Cord Byrd, which included a delay in congressional qualifying from the week of April 20 to June 8 to June 12.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Governor\u2019s and Secretary\u2019s unilateral attempt to bind the Legislature into undergoing legally unnecessary redistricting violates Florida\u2019s separation of powers,\u201d the petition states.<\/p>\n DeSantis and Byrd are named respondents.<\/p>\n A spokeswoman for the Department of State replied in an email that they do not respond to pending litigation.<\/p>\n If the court determines the governor exceeded his authority, the plaintiffs want his proclamation and directive not to be binding or enforceable unless the Legislature passes a reapportionment plan or enacts legislation to undergo redistricting this year.<\/p>\n The petitioners are represented by Orlando attorney Frederick Wermuth and Christina Ford of the Washington, D.C.-based Elias Law Group LLP.<\/p>\n Democracy Docket states that the petition request is important because Florida could be the fourth GOP-led state to undergo mid-decade redistricting to assist President Donald Trump\u2019s effort to maintain Republican control<\/a> of the U.S. House.<\/p>\n Redrawing lines in the middle of the decade would be highly unusual, as redistricting traditionally occurs after the U.S. census is released.<\/p>\n