Florida Supreme Court Rules Against Redistricting

The Committee of Fair Elections suffered a major defeat. The Florida Supreme Court ruled (pdf file) the the wording of the amendment violated the single-subject requirement. Article XI, section 3 of the Florida Constitution states:

The power to propose the revision or amendment of any portion or portions of this constitution by initiative is reserved to the people, provided that, any such revision or amendment, except for those limiting the power of government to raise revenue, shall embrace but one subject and matter directly connected therewith.

The Court refered to the COFE amendmendment as logrolling. Meaning, COFE wanted voters to decide redistricting and a bipartisan commission to set up new districts. The Court was having none of that. Attorney General Charlie Crist petitioned the Court for an opinion on the wording.

The Florida Supreme Court would not rule on the validity of the petition. They felt that issue should be resolved in circuit court. Glenda Hood has waged an on-going battle against the petition.

The Court made it known they were not ruling on the merits of the amendment. The ruling has legal merits. I don't like it, but I don't see how the Court could have ruled any other way.

Over to you, Matt. You're the one who actually went to school for this.