Florida Governor DeSantis Moves to Rig Midterm Elections with New Congressional Maps That Punish Voters of Color

Washington, D.C. — Today, as Governor DeSantis signed new congressional maps into law designed to dilute diverse representation in Congress and to deliver up to four additional Republican seats ahead of the midterm election, Voto Latino Executive Director Beatriz Lopez issued the following statement:

“What Republicans are doing nationwide through partisan gerrymandering on the backs of communities of color is not only dangerous, but it’s a pattern to exclude America’s multiracial democracy from representation in our government. By doing so, they’re trying to relegate voters of color to second-class citizenship.

Every American should be outraged by this behavior. These maps deliberately divide Latino and Black communities in Tampa, Orlando, and Miami, scattering them across multiple Republican-leaning districts to ensure their votes are drowned out.

Governor DeSantis signing these maps into law, on the heels of the Supreme Court’s devastating blow to the Voting Rights Act, tells voters everything they need to know. This is a coordinated effort to erase our voices and lock in political power. Floridians deserve maps that reflect their communities, not maps drawn in back rooms to further stack the election in favor of Republicans.

Make no mistake: Despite their coordinated attacks against us, a growing coalition is emerging, and it is motivated more than ever. Voto Latino stands with the leaders and organizers on the frontlines defending every Floridian voter’s right to fair representation. Come November, that coalition will make itself heard.”

###

Voto Latino is a civic advocacy organization dedicated to educating and empowering the next generation of Latino voters while working to build a more inclusive and representative democracy. Since its founding, Voto Latino has registered nearly two million voters. In 2024, the organization took legal action to protect voting rights, filing multiple lawsuits in Texas, Arizona, and North Carolina to safeguard access to the ballot ahead of the elections.