Florida lawmakers are set to convene this week for a special session on redistricting, with proposed congressional maps still not made public and less than two months before the June 12 filing deadline. The uncertainty has left incumbents, candidates, and election officials scrambling to prepare for potential changes that could reshape competitive districts across the Sunshine State.
The situation is particularly complex because Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) is pushing for new district lines, citing population growth since the 2020 Census and an anticipated Supreme Court decision on the Voting Rights Act that could affect how race can be considered in redistricting. However, no Supreme Court ruling has been issued yet, and Florida's state constitution contains clear anti-gerrymandering language that legal experts say could lead to a new map being blocked or tossed out.
What the Right Is Saying
Former Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R-Fla.), who represented a competitive South Florida seat, said the uncertainty is particularly difficult for incumbents running in competitive districts. "For candidates, particularly incumbents running in competitive districts, this is just extremely unsettling," Curbelo explained. He noted that Republicans facing headwinds in November have invested significant time and resources into their current constituents. "This uncertainty is just very taxing and unnerving, particularly in a challenging political climate."
Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar (R-Fla.), considered one of the more vulnerable Florida GOP incumbents, said she liked her current congressional lines but acknowledged redistricting decisions are beyond her control. When asked if she worried about redistricting making her district more competitive, Salazar responded: "I worry about immigration. That's what I worry about." She added that she was working on immigration reform legislation.
Rep. Cory Mills told The Hill he was not concerned about whether new lines would make incumbents like himself more vulnerable. "I think that it'll all be a very fair and equal and balanced approach," Mills said about the state's anticipated redistricting process.
Lake County Supervisor of Elections Alan Hays (R), who previously served in both chambers of the Florida Legislature, said he expected few changes to Central Florida but was prepared for whatever modifications affect his county. "I prefer to just play it calm and cool, and then when the changes occur, we will follow the statutes," Hays told The Hill. "That's all we do is we follow the law."
Florida GOP Chair Evan Powers said his party was positioned to adapt regardless of how redistricting unfolds. "I always joke that I'm prepared to run under any set of rules at any given time," Powers said.
What the Left Is Saying
Florida Democratic Party Chair Nikki Fried said her party has been conducting voter outreach for months in anticipation of potential changes. "We have already been in contact with millions of voters across the state, 5 million-plus last year, another couple million already this year," Fried told The Hill. She added that because of their year-round organizing, Democrats are positioned to quickly adapt messaging and voter contact efforts regardless of how district lines are drawn.
Osceola County Supervisor of Elections Mary Jane Arrington (D) highlighted the administrative burden redistricting places on county resources. "I have to move voters into new precincts, reprecinct, find new polling locations, and then I have to notify the voters," she said at a recent community event. "I don't think anyone has even considered the cost of this, not only to local governments through the supervisor of elections, but the cost of the special session."
Democrats are also seeking to capitalize on vulnerabilities among Republican incumbents, particularly targeting Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.), who is under a House Ethics Committee investigation for alleged campaign finance violations and sexual misconduct—accusations Mills has denied.
Orange County Democratic Party interim chair Jarred Cornell said redistricting creates downstream challenges for party outreach. "The onus is on us to make sure that we communicate with our voters, but that comes with an expense, that comes with stress and confusion, and it also results in distrust in their government," Cornell said.
What the Numbers Show
The June 12 filing deadline is approximately two months away, leaving candidates a narrow window to adjust their campaigns if district lines change. Florida's population has grown substantially since the 2020 Census, though those same census figures will be the only numbers available to lawmakers when drawing a new map. The state represents the final opportunity for Republicans to draw new congressional districts ahead of November.
The Supreme Court has not yet issued its decision in the pending Voting Rights Act case that DeSantis cited as justification for acting now. During an October rehearing, justices appeared inclined to limit race as a factor in redistricting calculations.
The Bottom Line
The special session marks a critical moment for Florida Republicans seeking to reshape congressional districts before November. However, legal questions remain about whether any new map could survive court challenges given the state's constitutional anti-gerrymandering provisions. Candidates face potential late-cycle adjustments to their campaigns, including introducing themselves to entirely new voter pools and meeting registration deadlines under compressed timeframes. Election officials across Florida's 67 counties are preparing for administrative strain, while both major parties say they have organizing infrastructure ready to adapt quickly to whatever district lines ultimately emerge.
What happens next: Watch for DeSantis's office to release proposed maps before the special session concludes. Legal challenges could come immediately after any new map is passed, potentially leaving Florida with its current congressional boundaries intact through November despite legislative action.