What’s my district? Appeals court makes ruling in Miami voting-map lawsuit
A federal appeals court has blocked a new city of Miami voting map drawn by community groups from being used for the November elections.
In a 2-1 decision issued late Friday, a three-judge appellate panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta granted the city’s emergency motion to block a map drawn by community groups represented by lawyers from the American Civil Liberties Union. The groups are suing the city alleging that commissioners in 2022 approved a racially gerrymandered voting map that unconstitutionally packed Hispanic and Black voters into certain districts.
The lawsuit is ongoing and expected to go to trial in 2024, but the city needed a map to use for this year’s elections after U.S. District Judge K. Michael Moore invalidated a map that was approved in 2022. Commissioners approved a new map in June, but Moore rejected it. On Sunday, the judge ordered the city to adopt the plaintiffs’ preferred map, and the city quickly filed emergency motions to block the order.
The city will now be permitted to use the June map for the election.
Under the map, District 3 Commissioner Joe Carollo’s home in northeast Coconut Grove home remains inside his district. Under the plaintiffs’ map, Carollo’s home would have been in District 2, which would create a problem for the commissioner because city law requires commissioners to live inside their districts.
City officials praised the decision Friday.
“City of Miami residents won today,” District 1 Commissioner Alex Díaz de la Portilla said in a statement Friday night. “The Appellate Court saw through the bogus arguments made by the Plaintiffs in their attempt to mislead our community.”
District 1 candidate Miguel Gabela’s home is no longer in the boundary of the district, which could create a residency issue under city laws. Gabela told the Miami Herald he intends to run in the race.
“I’m going to fight this,” Gabela told the Herald. “Frankly, I’m disgusted.”
Díaz de la Portilla is one of three commissioners up for re-election in November. District 2 Commissioner Sabina Covo and District 4 Commissioner Manolo Reyes are also running to keep their seats.
Judges Elizabeth L. Branch and Robert Luck were in the majority. Judge Charles R. Wilson dissented.
In a statement, City Attorney Victoria Méndez said the city is grateful for the careful consideration from the appeals court.
“The City agrees with the reasoning of the Court’s order granting the stay, particularly because the district court order would have caused significant disruption and confusion to voters in the coming municipal elections in November,” Méndez wrote.
This breaking news report will be update as more information becomes available.
This story was originally published August 4, 2023 at 9:49 PM.
