Say no to Trump’s mid-decade redistricting

President Trump is pressuring Republican-led legislatures, including Florida’s, to conduct mid-decade redistricting. It is a pure power grab designed to lock in his grip on Congress through 2028 and, perhaps, beyond. What is new and deeply alarming is that Florida’s Legislature appears to be taking steps to satisfy his most anti-democratic wishes. Floridians cannot allow the legislature to rig our elections for the president. Now is the time to speak up, regardless of your political affiliation, and demand that our lawmakers play by the rules. Mid-decade redistricting at the behest of a partisan president is unethical, dangerous and sets a terrible, irreversible precedent. How we draw political lines lies at the heart of the American experiment. Maps decide who represents us, which ideas get a hearing and whether voters can hold their government accountable. Over and over, voters of every political persuasion have said they do not want one party drawing the maps. They understand instinctively that it is a conflict of interest. In 2010, Floridians were so concerned about partisan gerrymandering that they amended the state constitution to stop it from ever happening again. The Fair Districts amendments passed overwhelmingly, with bipartisan support, because voters understood that fair maps are the foundation of a healthy democracy. “One person, one vote, same weight, same impact.” Those are not just words from a civics textbook. They are bedrock principles of our system. They must be non-negotiable. Nonetheless, in 2025, those principles are under new threats. Big Data and sophisticated software have transformed map-drawing from rough demographic analysis into precision control. Armed with vast voter data, politicians and their map drawers can now model how people think, how likely they are to vote and which party they will support, even if they rarely show up on Election Day and are registered with no party affiliation. Elections may appear loosely competitive on paper, but the outcomes are often predetermined, especially when you factor in the flood of campaign money pouring into these races. That should trouble every Floridian, regardless of their political party. Voters should choose their representatives, not the other way around. And this is not just about partisan advantage. Mid-decade redistricting would also disrupt communities and confuse voters. District boundaries are more than lines on a map. They shape how neighbors organize, how resources are divided and how local voices are heard in Washington. Constantly shifting those lines undermines representation and erodes public trust. Apathy and cynicism are terminal illnesses for a democratic republic like ours. Florida lawmakers now stand at a crossroads. They must decide whether to accept this undemocratic power grab or uphold the intent of Florida voters, who made it loud and clear in 2010 that they want fair districts. The right choice is obvious. If our leaders truly care about “the people’s house,” they will refuse to engage in mid-decade redistricting and instead focus on governing for all Floridians. Floridians, for their part, must act now. Go to the Capitol. Send letters or emails to lawmakers. Pack delegation hearings and committee rooms. Write, call and show up. Let your representatives know you are watching, and that your vote is not a bargaining chip in the president’s power game. Democracy is not a game. Our maps should not be either. Jonathan Webber grew up in Davie and now lives in Tallahassee, where he works as Florida policy director for the Southern Poverty Law Center https://enewspaper.sun-sentinel.com/shortcode/SUN315/edition/11d18249-f57e-4b40-8d18-bec8cab9ca93?page=f63e693f-a641-49c7-b37c-fa2b732c95bd&