Listen: https://www.podomatic.com/podcasts/americandemocracyminute/episodes/2022-05-12T07_44_02-07_00

Groups working on redistricting n New York, Missouri & Florida
New York: Common Cause New York
Missouri:  Fair Maps Missouri Coalition
Florida:    Equal Ground, Fair Districts Florida

You’re listening to the American Democracy Minute, keeping your government by and for the people.

As states near their primary election dates, legislators, redistricting commissions and the courts are scrambling to finish new voting maps, including today’s states, New York, Missouri and Florida.

Two developments in New York state.  A federal court has ruled that the state primary can be delayed until August to allow more time for the maps to be completed.   Democrats, responsible for the gerrymandering this time, had tried to block the delay in the wake of their maps being ruled unconstitutional.  The New York Times reports that a county judge has appointed a neutral special master to complete the maps.

With the legislative session clock running out in Missouri, St. Louis Public Radio reports a state House bill passed last week attempted to gerrymander the 5th Congressional District, now held by Democrats, into a solidly Republican district.  In a separate case, a federal judge issued a restraining order on the 2nd Congressional district, which the court said has unequal populations compared with other districts in violation of the U.S. Constitution.

And back yet again to Florida, where the attempt by Governor Ron Desantis to gerrymander the heavily African American 5th Congressional district to put Democratic U.S. Rep. Al Lawson out of a job ,has been blocked by a Leon County Circuit Court judge.  Florida has a constitutional amendment prohibiting partisan gerrymandering. 

We have links to state organizations working on redistricting issues in these states at AmericanDemocracyMinute.org.

Granny D said, “Democracy is not  something we have, it’s something we DO.” 

For the American Democracy Minute, I’m Brian Beihl.