The weak case presented to a federal judge over the City Council redistricting maps can be seen just be examining a few facts.
One of the plaintiffs claims that it is the city’s duty to draw maps that guarantee all voters “equal representation.”
Council members have done that. What the plaintiffs actually want is more Democrat Party representation.
By framing it as a racial issue the plaintiffs are killing their own case.
According to the 2020 Census, 29.4 percent of the people in Jacksonville have black skin.
As the table in this article shows, 27.98 percent of the voters in Jacksonville have black skin.
There are seven council members with black skin currently.
That is 36.8 percent of the council.
Therefore, people with black skin already are overrepresented in the local legislative body by a wide margin, whether as a proportion of the population or of voters.
| Race | Voters | Percent |
|---|---|---|
| White, not Hispanic | 371,001 | 56.56% |
| Black, not Hispanic | 183,520 | 27.98% |
| Hispanic | 39,990 | 6.10% |
| Asian or Pacific Isl | 23,606 | 3.60% |
| Unknown | 17,939 | 2.74% |
| Other | 13,228 | 2.02% |
| Multi-Racial | 4,152 | 0.63% |
| American Ind/Alaskan | 2,464 | 0.38% |
Even though a lower court judge ruled against the city, it doesn’t seem likely to stand up on appeal.
Plaintiffs should just ask the court to order maps that will ensure more Democrats are elected. That’s obviously what they want, so have the gumption to say so.
If 90 percent of voters with black skin were choosing Republican candidates, the Democrats would not give a hoot about them having “equal representation.”
That day surely will come, given the way Democrat Party policies have wrecked black families and denied them educational opportunity.
Councilman Matt Carlucci was quoted as saying he was open to re-drawing the maps. “It is my hope that the outcome is two-fold — that district maps will better reflect the diversity of our residents and council members will be held accountable to a broader range of citizens.”
Does that mean we are going to get some Asian, Alaskan or American Indian council members soon?
You can rest assured the bean-counters and quota mavens will demand it — as soon as those identity groups show the required fealty to the party of slavery and segregation.
Eye on Jacksonville asked Carlucci if the current proportion of council members with black skin is fair and he said he thinks that it is.
Then, we asked, why do we need new maps?
“Partisanship is the problem,” he said.
Exactly.
