Florida Democrats on Wednesday introduced pieces of legislation that would transfer control of Florida’s redistricting process to independent citizen commissions, as Senate President Ben Albritton separately told senators that there is no redistricting work underway in the chamber despite rising speculation about map changes next year.
Rep. Daryl Campbell and Sen. Shevrin Jones filed HJR 619 and SJR 728, respectively, which would create three citizen-led commissions responsible for drawing state House, state Senate and congressional districts. The plan also calls for expanding the Legislature from 40 to 60 Senate districts and from 120 to 180 House districts, designed to increase representation and reduce population size per district.
“The fight for fair maps is fundamentally a fight for equal representation and a functioning democracy,” said Sen. Jones. “For too long, the people of Florida have been forced to live under a system where politicians pick their voters, silencing diverse voices and cementing power in the hands of a few. This bill takes that power out of the backrooms of the Capitol and puts it squarely where it belongs: with the citizens of our state. This is about making sure that every vote counts, every community is heard, and Florida’s government truly reflects the will of its people.”
The proposed commissions would each consist of 15 members chosen through a screening panel and a randomized selection process. Applicants must have recently participated in statewide elections and cannot have served as elected officials, lobbyists, party officers, campaign staff or legislative employees for more than a decade. Family members and household relatives of individuals in those roles would also be barred from serving. The measures impose transparency requirements, including public meetings, livestreamed proceedings, publication of all map-drawing data within three days of receipt, and an online portal where citizens may submit their own maps.
Each commission would draw three maps following the Fair Districts standards that prohibit favoring political parties or incumbents and require districts that protect minority voting strength. The Legislature would be required to select one of the maps, and any amendment would need a three-fourths vote of both chambers. If lawmakers fail to act, the Florida Supreme Court would select the most compact map without modifications.
“The people should choose their representatives, not the other way around. These commissions would be made up of regular Floridians — not lawmakers, not lobbyists, not campaign insiders. If you’ve recently made money in politics, you’re out. This is about independence and fairness, not influence and favors,” said Rep. Campbell.
The legislation was filed the same day that Albritton sent a memo to senators addressing the broader discussion of potential mid-decade redistricting. In the memo, Albritton stated plainly that there is no redistricting activity occurring in the Senate at this time and that the chamber is not engaged in any map-drawing work.
Albritton said he is monitoring ongoing legal developments but noted that the Senate has not begun any process related to redistricting, despite Gov. Ron DeSantis’ interest in revisiting the issue in the spring.
