To The Editor:

Not two months ago, in the November election, with a broad turnout of roughly 50 percent of Florida’s electorate, the people in overwhelming numbers called for setting rules for how political districts are drawn.

This past week newly elected Gov. Scott instructed his secretary of state to halt, and actually recall the first steps to put the voters’ mandate into action.

Voters should be angry. Very angry.

Governor Scott sent a clear message to voters in Florida with this action – that he knows better than voters, and is in no rush to heed their mandate. The League calls on Florida leadership to follow the will of the voters and not their own self interest in protecting their reelection.

A clear pattern by leaders is suggesting they are putting their own interests in getting reelected before the vote of the electorate. Take a look at the pattern:

Secretary Kurt Browning, the spokesman for the opposition efforts, which fought passage of amendments 5 and 6, is now in charge of its implementation. This past week he sent a letter to the Department of Justice recalling the start of the formal review process.

House Speaker Dean Cannon has resisted appointing members to the House Redistricting Committee, and in January opted to join the lawsuit contesting the amendment that deals with Congressional Redistricting.

The irony of these actions in contrast to Sen. Don Gaetz’s (chairman of Senate Reapportionment Committee) quote “The people have spoken,” shows the truth of the phrase: “actions speak louder than words.”

The League notes that this combination of events presents a clear movement by leadership

to shut down the majority voice of the people in their call for clear rules in our Constitution. Click here to find out what you can do.

The Florida League along with our 30 local League of Women Voters chapters across the state will continue to monitor closely the process over the next several months as we continue our call for timely and open progress on implementing the people’s voice.

Deirdre Macnab

President, League of Women Voters of Florida

Tallahassee