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New Senate Districts Will Keep Rural Voice For Panhandle
October 6, 2011
Senate mapmakers will draw legislative districts that run east to west as they carve new political boundaries for the Panhandle, members of the Senate Reapportionment Committee agreed Wednesday.
The bipartisan consensus answers the tricky question of how to divide Northwest Florida, where rural residents from the northern part of the region feared having their votes diluted by more urbanized coastal areas. Some residents at public meetings had pushed for districts that run north to south, only to encounter pushback from rural interests.
The current districts are already horizontal, an arrangement the Senate panel decided to continue with.
“I think it’s our responsibility to do everything we can to respond to the wishes of these people, and draw the district lines horizontally,” said Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla.
But the free-flowing, lengthy discussion about the nature of the compactness required by the new Fair Districts amendments and what it meant for often-sprawling districts in sparsely-populated areas in the Panhandle also showed how tricky it could be for lawmakers to agree on even the least contentious issues.
“There are different definitions of community,” said Sen. Bill Montford, D-Tallahassee. “But to me, that’s what’s most important.”
By The News Service of Florida
Comments
4 Responses to “New Senate Districts Will Keep Rural Voice For Panhandle”
Amen Farmgirl. I am sure Old Man Simon and his ACLU minions will be furious, that a predominatly Christian district has been formed. Let them go cry to their father. forever and ever.
>>William, could we get a comparism of old districts?
The new districts are *not* drawn yet. (The article says “will draw legislative districts”.) The districts pictured are the *current* districts.
William, could we get a comparism of old districts?
This is great. We get to keep Greg Evers our Senator for District 2. He has represented our interest well in Tallahassee and here at home.