Florida’s Congressional Redistricting Push Draws Challenge (1)

The National Redistricting Foundation filed a lawsuit in the Florida Supreme Court Thursday seeking to block Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and the state’s Republican-controlled legislature from redrawing the state’s congressional lines before the 2026 midterms.

The group claims that DeSantis’ plan to call for a special session this year to redraw congressional districts violates the state constitution by having the governor invade the legislature’s lawmaking prerogative.

“On January 7, 2026, after trying for months to convince the Legislature to undergo mid-decade redistricting on his preferred timeline, the Governor issued a proclamation calling a special session,” the petition said. “The decision over whether and when to reapportion Florida’s congressional districts belongs to the Legislature.”

Republicans hold 20 of the state’s 28 districts, but following Texas’s mid-decade remap DeSantis said Florida conservatives need to push for more safe seats.

The petition claims that Desantis declaring in a proclamation that the legislature would redraw the lines this year took power reserved for the lawmakers. That stance, combined with actions by Secretary of State Cord Byrd (R) relaxing filing requirements assuming it would be a redistricting year, violates the separation-of-power principles and creates election administration headaches, the suit says.

For example, while relying on the governor and secretary’s actions, “congressional candidates otherwise required to collect signatures from residents living in their district will have instead submitted signatures from residents living in other districts,” the petition said. If the legislature doesn’t redraw then the normal rules could “snap back into effect” and “it is unclear whether any subsequently filed qualification papers will be considered timely.”

DeSantis and Attorney General James Uthmeier (R) didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on the petition.

King, Blackwell, Zehnder & Wermuth PA, and Elias Law Group LLP represent the National Redistricting Foundation.

The case is Pines v. DeSantis, Fla., No. SC2026-0209, petition filed 2/5/26.