The redrawing of Florida's Congressional and Legislative districts will take place next year. The decade long ritual is happening in every state of the country, and is always controversial, as the political party in power in most states generally controls the drawing of the maps, and generally draws them more more favorably for their party.
Although there are more registered Democrats in Florida, the state Legislature went Republican in 1996 (in lines drawn by Democrats), and has never looked back. In 2002, Republicans controlling the process in Tallahassee redrew the lines in a fashion even more favorable to them.
Frustration with the gross disparities in how many Republicans control the supposedly "purple state" led activists from both political parties to advocate for the Fair Districts amendments, which passed overwhelmingly in 2010. The amendments require that the drawing of new district lines be created in a fair, continguous factor (though still controlled by Republicans. In 13 states, such powers are consigned to independent commissions).
Before the Legislature announces their new maps, they have been have on a listening tour across the state this summer, and the final leg of the public redistricting meetings comes to the Tampa Bay area beginning Monday, with a hearing scheduled from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. at Jefferson High School auditorium in Tampa. On Tuesday, Pinellas County gets their opportunity to be heard, as their meeting will take place in Largo from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Epi-Center at St. Pete College, and then goes from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Sarasota New College.
