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Voting Rights Groups Call For Transparency In Map Prep

Florida lawmakers redraw congressional districts August 10.
Erik Hersman via Flickr
Florida lawmakers redraw congressional districts August 10.
Florida lawmakers redraw congressional districts August 10.
Credit Erik Hersman via Flickr
Florida lawmakers redraw congressional districts August 10.

The Legislature will begin its special session next week, but drafting of the base map—the session’s starting point—has already begun.  Voting rights groups are upset it isn’t happening in public.Listen here.

Staff members from the House and Senate are working behind closed doors on a base map, but Florida’s League of Women Voters and Common Cause say that violates the spirit of the Supreme Court’s order.  League President Pamela Goodman says the groups have issued a joint letter calling on the Legislature to open the process. 

“It just reminds the legislators of the mandates that were laid forth by the Supreme Court,” Goodman says, “and we want to ensure that they are reminded of those mandates of transparency, and that they follow those mandates.”

It’s not clear when lawmakers will reveal their first draft.  But a Senate spokeswoman says the maps will be available for review before lawmakers return for session August 10.

Copyright 2015 WFSU

Nick Evans came to Tallahassee to pursue a masters in communications at Florida State University. He graduated in 2014, but not before picking up an internship at WFSU. While he worked on his degree Nick moved from intern, to part-timer, to full-time reporter. Before moving to Tallahassee, Nick lived in and around the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years. He listens to far too many podcasts and is a die-hard 49ers football fan. When Nick’s not at work he likes to cook, play music and read.