DeSantis Signs New Florida Congressional Map into Law

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed a new congressional district map into law on May 4, 2026, following a U.S. Supreme Court decision on May 3, 2026, that limited the application of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act in redistricting cases involving race.

The Supreme Court's ruling in Louisiana v. Callais held that Section 2 does not require states to create majority-minority districts where no such district would exist without prioritizing race, according to the court's opinion.

" He convened a special legislative session on April 27, 2026, to address redistricting in light of the anticipated ruling, as noted in his proclamation calling the session.

The Florida House and Senate passed the map on May 3, 2026. According to an analysis by the Florida Division of Elections, the new map creates 28 congressional districts, with demographic shifts in several areas. For instance, the reconfigured 9th District, currently held by Rep.

Darren Soto, extends from parts of Orange County southward to include rural areas in Okeechobee and Indian River counties, reducing the Hispanic voting-age population from approximately 52% to 39%, based on census data cited in legislative filings.

Rep. " The new map maintains a Democratic-leaning district in the Orlando metro area, specifically the 10th District held by Rep.

In the Tampa Bay region, the 14th District, held by Rep. Kathy Castor, is redrawn to exclude St. Petersburg, incorporating more rural areas in Hillsborough and Polk counties. " The Florida Fair Districts Amendment, approved by voters in 2010, prohibits drawing districts with the intent to favor or disfavor a political party or incumbent, according to the amendment's text.

In South Florida, the map adjusts districts in Broward and Palm Beach counties. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's 25th District is reconfigured to include coastal areas, shifting its partisan lean from supporting Kamala Harris by over 5 points in 2024 to favoring Donald Trump by more than 9 points, per an analysis by Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics.

Wasserman Schultz has not publicly specified her plans but could potentially run in the reconfigured 20th District, which incorporates areas previously in the 22nd District vacated by Rep. Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick following her resignation on March 15, 2026, amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into campaign finance issues, as detailed in the committee's public statement.

Rep. " Voting rights organizations, including the ACLU of Florida, stated in a press release that they intend to challenge the map in state court, citing potential violations of the Florida Constitution's anti-gerrymandering provisions. The Florida Supreme Court, where DeSantis has appointed six of seven justices since 2019, would have jurisdiction over such cases, according to state judicial records.

The current Florida congressional delegation consists of 20 Republicans, seven Democrats, and one vacancy. Analysts from Dave's Redistricting App and the Cook Political Report project that, if upheld, the new map could result in Republicans holding 24 seats and Democrats four, based on 2024 election data and demographic modeling.

No official statement from the U.S. Department of Justice on the map has been released as of May 4, 2026.

Other states, including Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Tennessee, are reviewing their maps following the Supreme Court decision, as reported in court filings from those states.