It’s a numbers game with real-life political consequences.
State Senate President Andy Gardiner, R-Orlando, has asked the state auditor general to randomly assign numbers to all 40 Senate districts Tuesday morning, as directed by Circuit Judge George Reynolds’ Dec. 30 redistricting decision
All 40 Senate seats will be up for election next fall for the second time in four years, an unprecedented consequence of Florida’s redistricting saga. Superstitious senators will be crossing their fingers and rubbing rabbits’ feet to get the numbers they’re seeking — and then they may be calling their favorite real estate agent as they pack their bags and head for friendlier political terrain.
Twenty Senate districts will be assigned odd numbers and 20 will be given even numbers. Senators who are assigned odd numbers would run for four-year terms in the fall and senators in even-numbered districts would run for two-year terms, followed by four-year terms in 2018 if they’re not termed out by then. Those “even” senators would potentially serve an additional two years for a total of 10 years, under the Florida system of electing senators to staggered terms.