30 SECONDS OF YOUR TIME COULD LAST 10 YEARS. . .

[First Coast Tea Party]

Dear Friends:

Please see my email blast below.

It is essential that each of us write or call today and express our approval of this redistrict plan n the record without mentioning party.

Please encourage your friends and family to also do it. It only takes 30 seconds

Those who would oppose will be making their voices heard and so must we. This may well be our most important legislative initiative all year.

Below is my letter and I also left a voice mail.

Many thanks!

Cindy Graves

Dear Senators and Representatives:

You have done an excellent job in redistricting Florida. I attended the meeting in my area and can see that you have addressed the concerns of my fellow citizens and helped ensure a fair election process for Florida's future.

Our family is especially impressed with your adherence to to Amendment 5 and 6. We also appreciate that you seemed to follow the county lines where you could. Most especially I can't recall any public measure that requested so much input!

Thank you for time and effort and especially for keeping this entire process in the Sunshine!

I enjoyed participating in this historic moment using technology and the public hearings. You are to be commended as our community has been well served!


Cindy Graves

Webpage of redistricting maps - http://www.flsenate.gov/Session/Redistricting/?CFID=24443950&CF...

Senate redistricting committee contact email [e-mail]

Webpage of House of Representatives redistricting committee - http://www.myfloridahouse.gov/sections/committees/committeesdetail....

[John H. Libby]

Amanda, it is also drawn that way to meet the requirements of the Voting Rights Act.  Michael gerrymandering is not illegal unless it is used to dilute minority access to the electoral process.  At least this is how the SCOTUS currently interprets the law.  Every ten years a case or two makes it to the high court and over the years since the passage of the VRA the Court has changed how they interpret the law.  This is the 4th decade that I have redistricted some county in Florida and there have been significant changes in case law over the years.  That is why my hair is now gray.  ; ) 

[amanda choate]

Michael her district does run from Jax to Orlando. So this district is built to serve only the Corrine.

[michael gable]

All I know is I thought gerrymandering was to be illegal.  If the districts aren't to be somewhat compact and contiguous and if Ms. Brown's district is left snaking though the state so as to continue protecting her against all challengers, I would not support it.

[John H. Libby]

Amanda, The Senate's Congressional Plan has placed at least two members of Congress in the same Districts, I believe and there are two who are no longer in the District they currently represent.  I am not sure about the Senate's Senate Plan.

[amanda choate]

Is the Senate plan considered the map that most closely follows the rules set forth by the Fair Districts amendment? For me, that is the most important part of the whole deal. Florida voters were very clear on this point. No political monkey business and no protecting incumbants.

[John H. Libby]

There are differing opinions about Florida Congressional District 3.  While it is a multi-county district once again, it may satisfy the requirements of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.  I have provided a link to a DOJ document which may provide some insight as to how the process of review may work. http://www.justice.gov/crt/about/vot/sec_5/sec5guidance2011.pdf  The Florida Senate redistricting website has a pdf of three benchmark districts in Florida, one of which is the 3rd Congressional District.  Another is Senate District 1 which has a number of North Florida counties in it as well.  There are numerous redistricting cases in the courts over plans from different States, one or more will eventually make it to the SCOTUS.  Below is a link to a story in the LA times earlier this year which I found interesting as well.  http://articles.latimes.com/2011/aug/13/nation/la-na-justice-redist...  Mike Yost has a differing opinion as to the status of the 3rd.  He believes it is not a protected District.  As you can see from the map the Florida Senate does not agree and drew a minority majority 3rd Congressional map.

Please take the time to also look at the Senate District map.  This is the one that I feel may face legal challanges.  There are some public submissions which may be superior to the one the Senate has drawn, particularly when it comes to meeting the standards in the Florida Constitution know as the " Fair Districts" Amendments. 

[Holly Winsman]

THANK YOU!!!!!

 

[Kenneth Cherevko]

and what about District 3 where it was basically left the same?

[Holly Winsman]

And we are emailing this to?????????????????? and address would be great!!!  Call?  Give us some phone numbers.  Nice letter but doesn't do any good unless we know who it's going to.  LOL