Voting Rights
My personal experiences in Florida in recent elections testify to a simple fact: Voter suppression remains a serious threat to civil rights in 21st Century America. Marathon voting lines for low-income and minority groups, reduced early voting hours, voters purges, and voter registration restrictions, remain endemic. While our nation has made progress since the passage of the Voting Rights Act, voter discrimination remains a reality.
As a result of voters in Florida having to contend with long lines and long wait times to cast their vote on Election Day 2012, I formally requested a review by the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
To read the study, please visit this link: https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-14-850
More on Voting Rights
Today we commemorate the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., an American hero whose voice, vision, and legacy of leadership continue to influence the course of American history. Dr. King on occasion sacrificed his freedom and ultimately his life to ensure that all Americans are treated equally, and given the opportunity to participate fully in society and realize their dreams.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- To say that I am deeply disappointed by the Florida Supreme Court’s decision to approve the redistricting map drawn by the Fair Districts Coalition is a gross understatement. From the start, I strongly opposed the map known as CP-1 because it strips from District 24 several economic drivers and cultural attractions and threatens to return our community to its former status as the nation’s “most suffering” district.
Your Honors:
I am writing to express my deep concerns about the redistricting map known as CP-1. It is my humble hope that during your deliberations you will take into consideration the economic and psychological damage its implementation could have on congressional District 24.
Your Honors:
I am writing to humbly beseech the wisdom of the Florida Supreme Court concerning the redistricting of Florida’s congressional districts and express the grave implications of the lower court’s ruling of October 9, 2015. I harbor deep concerns regarding the redistricting process and the legal proceedings that have resulted.
WASHINGTON – Before the last census, District 24 was District 17, and classified in the 2010 Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index as the “most suffering” congressional district in the nation in the category of life evaluation, or how people described their quality of life, and the third most miserable district overall. This annual survey also assesses healthy behavior, work environment, and access to health services.