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State Senators began debating senate and congressional voting maps on the chamber floor today. The once a decade redistricting task is catching extra attention this year because of new constitutional amendments requiring the districts be draw without favoring the party in power. As Whitney Ray tells us, the maps are expected to draw court challenges after the legislature passes them.

District three on the current Senate district map stretches from Tallahassee to Citrus County. District 27 runs from the Atlantic to the Gulf. On the new senate map districts are more compact and fewer counties and cities are split in two.

The reason: in 2010, Florida voters cast ballots to end gerrymandering, the practice of drawing districts to ensure the party in power wins more elections.

“It’s obvious that amendment five made a difference,” said Senator John Thrasher.

Lawmakers must redraw the house, senate and congressional voting maps ever 10 years. The current senate map drawn in 2002 leaves only 22 counties whole. The new map keeps 36 counties intact.

The state House and Senate maps have to be reviewed by the Florida Supreme Court and it’s likely the congressional map will end up here as well. Democrat Maria Sachs says even though the maps look more compact, but that’s not necessarily the case.

“It’s going to end up in the courts and that is probably where it should be,” said Sachs.

Senate Redistricting Chairman Don Gatez says this has been the most transparent reapportionment process in the state’s history.

“June 6th was the first of 32 times this committee has invited proposals from these groups and from Floridians,” said Gaetz