TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) _ The Florida Senate's revised redistricting map is headed to the U.S. Department of Justice for preclearance under the federal Voting Rights Act.
State officials submitted the plan on Friday although the Florida Supreme Court has yet to consider it. Submitting it before the court review will give the Justice Department sufficient time to act before candidate qualifying begins in June.
Federal preclearance is required due to past racial discrimination in five Florida counties.
Maps for the House and Florida's 27 congressional seats were submitted on March 13. That was after the Supreme Court approved the House map but rejected the Senate plan, forcing a do-over.
A Supreme Court review of the congressional map isn't required but that plan is being challenged in a Tallahassee trial court.
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