ICYMI: NRF Calls on Florida Supreme Court to Restore Black Opportunity District

For Immediate Release
September 12, 2024
Contact
Madia Coleman
coleman@redistrictingfoundation.org

Washington, D.C. – Today, oral arguments are scheduled to take place before the Florida Supreme Court in Black Voters Matter v. Byrd, a legal challenge against Florida’s congressional map. The National Redistricting Foundation (NRF), the 501(c)(3) affiliate of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee (NDRC), initiated this legal challenge in 2022, and continues to direct this lawsuit and financially support a group of plaintiffs, which include the Black Voters Matter Capacity Building Institute, Inc., Equal Ground Education Fund, Inc., the League of Women Voters of Florida Education Fund, Inc., and Florida Rising Together.

Earlier this week, leading up to the oral arguments, the NRF hosted a press call featuring the organization’s executive director, Marina Jenkins, to preview the case. You can view a clip of Marina’s remarks from the press call here. 

Excerpts from remarks as delivered by Marina Jenkins, Executive Director of the NRF:

“DeSantis’ congressional map is a textbook violation of the state constitution, as it diminishes the rightful voting power of Black Floridians. This is a fact, again, that the defendants themselves have already admitted is true.” 

“We have a strong case. A textbook application of this law – which is enshrined in Florida’s constitution – requires the state to restore the 5th congressional district as a Black opportunity district.”

“Black Floridians have already waited too long for justice due to an endlessly slow-moving court system.”

“Ultimately, this case is about the integrity of our institutions. Florida citizens have been — and citizens across the country frankly, have been continuing to be — deprived of their rightful representation because ideological courts refuse to enforce the law. The Florida Supreme Court must step up–and fast.”

Additional Background: 

In taking up this case, the Florida Supreme Court could overturn a decision by an appeals court that kept the congressional map in place. Initially, a Florida trial court sided with the plaintiffs, ruling that Florida’s congressional map violates Article III, § 20 of the Florida Constitution, commonly known as the Fair Districts Amendment. Leading up to the trial, the case against Florida’s congressional map was strengthened by an agreement between the parties to the litigation in which Florida’s Secretary of State, the Florida House of Representatives and the Florida Senate admitted that the state’s congressional map diminishes the voting power of Black Floridians and prevents them from electing a candidate of their choice in Florida’s 5th Congressional District. 

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