REDISTRICTING COMMISSION IDEA HITS A SERIOUS SNAG

The efforts of the Campaign for Florida's Future to change how political boundries are drawn have run into a snag, according to Joni James' story in today's St. Petersburg Times.

There are three petitions to amend Florida's Constitution. One would create a 15 member commission appointed by legislative leaders and the chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court to draw boundries for legislative and congressional districts. Another would require that the panel convene in time to draw new districts in time for the 2008 elections. Those apparantly have no problem.

The third petition, which would require that districts not be drawn to favour any one political party or candidate, has 81 words. State law requires that such initiatives have no more then 75.

Although the language was approved by the Secretary of State's office, before it can get on the ballot it would have to also receive approval of the Florida Supreme Court, and election law specialists say that would likely be where the problem arises.