Coverage of Florida Constitutional Amendments: Numbers 5 and 6

Over the next couple of days I'm going to put in my two cents on the Florida ballot.

Florida Constitutional Amendment Number 5 as written on a sample ballot:

NO. 5
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE III, SECTION 21

Standards For Legislature To Follow In Legislative Redistricting

Legislative districts or districting plans may not be drawn to favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party. Districts shall not be drawn to deny racial or language minorities the equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice. Districts must be contiguous. Unless otherwise required, districts must be compact, as equal in population as feasible, and where feasible must make use of existing city, county and geographical boundaries. The fiscal impact cannot be determined precisely. State government and state courts may incur additional costs if litigation increases beyond the number or complexity of cases which would have occurred in the amendment’s absence.

There are a few key words here that should make anyone questions this. Such as; "Unless otherwise required, districts must be compact, as equal in population as feasible, and where feasible must make use of existing city, county and geographical boundaries."

Let me ask a few questions. Is it true that metro areas often tend to have higher populations than urban areas? Is it not true that metro areas often attract more liberal individuals? So, under this proposal, would it be safe to assume that the metro areas will end up with more legislative representation than more urban areas?

Florida Constitutional Amendment Number 5 as written on a sample ballot:

NO. 6
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
ARTICLE III, SECTION 20

Standards For Legislature To Follow In Congressional Redistricting

Congressional districts or districting plans may not be drawn to favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party. Districts shall not be drawn to deny racial or language minorities the equal opportunity to participate in the political process and elect representatives of their choice. Districts must be contiguous. Unless otherwise required, districts must be compact, as equal in population as feasible, and where feasible must make use of existing city, county and geographical boundaries. The fiscal impact cannot be determined precisely. State government and state courts may incur additional costs if litigation increases beyond the number or complexity of cases which would have occurred in the amendment’s absence.

Again we have the same wording as in amendment 5 only this time concerning congressional districts. "Unless otherwise required, districts must be compact, as equal in population as feasible, and where feasible must make use of existing city, county and geographical boundaries." This time congressional redistricting is the goal. And once again you have the same criteria by which the redistricting is to occur.

Either one of these amendments, if passed, will result in legislative districts being drawn on ideological boundaries. These boundaries are already set based on where people have decided to live. This could not be any more transparent.

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