Attorneys ask Florida's congressional map be fast-tracked to Florida Supreme Court [View all]

[In It to Win It]

Attorneys ask Florida’s congressional map be fast-tracked to Florida Supreme Court


JOINT TIME-SENSITIVE SUGGESTION FOR PASS-THROUGH CERTIFICATION

TALLAHASSEE — Seeking a final ruling before the legislative session starts in January, both sides in a battle over a congressional redistricting plan asked an appeals court Friday to fast-track the case to the Florida Supreme Court.

The joint request by attorneys for the state and voting-rights groups was expected: They had filed a document last month in Leon County circuit court signaling that they would seek to effectively bypass the 1st District Court of Appeal and go straight to the Supreme Court.

But the request underscored the high stakes of the case, as Leon County Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh ruled Sept. 2 that a redistricting plan pushed through the Legislature last year by Gov. Ron DeSantis was unconstitutional.

“This appeal requires immediate resolution by the Florida Supreme Court to provide certainty to voters, potential candidates and elections officials regarding the configuration and validity of Florida’s congressional districts sufficiently in advance of the 2024 elections,” the request filed at the Tallahassee-based appeals court said. “Given the inherently time-sensitive issues presented in elections cases, redistricting and other election-related cases are routinely certified for immediate resolution by the Florida Supreme Court.”

The request is aimed at receiving a Supreme Court decision before the Jan. 9 start of the 2024 legislative session.

That would allow lawmakers to redraw the map, if needed, and provide a period for possible additional legal wrangling before an April qualifying period in next year’s congressional elections.