Judge Joshua Hawkes heard arguments on whether to temporarily block Florida’s new congressional map but issued no immediate ruling, leaving districts in place as candidate qualifying begins June 8 and the primary is set for Aug. 18.
Voting-rights groups said the map openly used partisan data and violates Florida’s Fair Districts Amendment, pointing to projections that the U.S. House delegation could move from 20-8 Republican-Democratic to 24-4.
Lawyers for Gov. Ron DeSantis, Secretary of State Cord Byrd and the Legislature denied unlawful partisan intent, argued the prior map was racially flawed, and said courts should avoid changing election rules this close to voting.
Hawkes pressed the state’s defense that lawmakers lacked intent, noting the Legislature passed without changes a map drawn by DeSantis aide Jason Poreda after he acknowledged using partisan data.
Could Florida’s legal battle reshape the rules for drawing electoral maps nationwide?
Florida’s 2026 Congressional Map in Court: Legal Uncertainty, Gerrymandering Claims, and the Battle Over Four Republican Seats
Overview
Florida’s new congressional map is at the center of a major legal battle, as voting rights groups argue it violates the Fair Districts Amendment by creating four more GOP-leaning seats. The lawsuit, filed by organizations like Common Cause and the League of Women Voters, claims Governor Ron DeSantis is trying to dismantle anti-gerrymandering rules meant to stop the legislature from favoring one party. At a recent court hearing, attorneys urged Judge Joshua Hawkes to block the map, but he did not rule immediately. The outcome will shape Florida’s elections and could impact the balance of power in Congress.