Florida’s new congressional map remains in place for Aug. 18 primary

Florida’s new congressional districts will remain in effect for the Aug. 18, 2026, primary while a legal challenge moves through the courts.

The Florida Supreme Court on June 10 denied an emergency request to block the map. The 6-1 decision in Equal Ground Education Fund v. Secretary, Florida Department of State, case SC2026-0857, was based on jurisdiction and procedure—not a ruling that the map complies with the Florida Constitution.

For voters, that means the new districts are the operative districts unless a later court order changes them. Candidates and election officials have already proceeded under the map during the congressional qualifying period.

What the Supreme Court decided

The majority said it could not intervene while the First District Court of Appeal was considering an appeal involving the request for a temporary injunction. The Supreme Court said it did not have jurisdiction over that ongoing, nonfinal matter and declined to assume that the eventual appellate decision would provide a basis for Supreme Court review.

The ruling denied the challengers’ requested emergency relief. It did not resolve their underlying claims that the map violates Article III, Section 20, of the Florida Constitution, known as the Fair Districts Amendment.

That amendment includes limits on partisan gerrymandering and protections against drawing districts to diminish racial or language minorities’ ability to elect representatives of their choice. Claims that the new map violates those provisions remain allegations being litigated, not findings by the Supreme Court.

How the case reached the court

A Leon County circuit judge denied a preliminary injunction on May 26. That ruling addressed whether the map should be blocked before a final decision and did not end the lawsuit or decide the ultimate constitutional questions.

The challengers appealed. On June 1, the First District Court of Appeal declined to certify the case for pass-through review by the Florida Supreme Court. On June 3, it also denied a request to expedite its own appellate review.

Justice Jorge Labarga dissented from the June 10 Supreme Court decision. He argued that the court had jurisdiction and that the approaching congressional election justified faster review. His opinion is a dissent, not controlling law.

What it means for Florida voters

The Florida Department of State’s 2026 election calendar lists Aug. 6 as the deadline to request that a vote-by-mail ballot be mailed for the primary. Mandatory early voting runs Aug. 8 through Aug. 15, although counties may offer additional days. Primary Election Day is Aug. 18.

Voters should confirm polling places, early-voting locations and any optional voting days with their county supervisor of elections. District assignments can be checked through state and county voter-information tools.

The Department of State lists the second 2026 qualifying period as running from noon June 8 through noon June 12 for U.S. representatives and other offices. That period is closed. Candidates therefore qualified under the new congressional districts, adding to the map’s immediate practical effect even though the legal challenge continues.

What could happen next

The underlying case can continue in the trial court and through appellate review. A later merits ruling could determine whether the map violates the Fair Districts Amendment and, if so, whether a court orders a remedy for a future election.

The record reviewed does not establish a scheduled redraw or a court-ordered change to the Aug. 18 ballot. It also does not establish that the map cannot change during the 2026 cycle. The current status is narrower: no court has ordered a map change for the Aug. 18 primary as of Aug. 4, 2026.

Sources

• Supreme Court of Florida, Opinion SC2026-0857
• Florida Department of State, 2026 Election Dates
• Associated Press, Florida court allows use of new U.S. House map drawn by Republicans