Progressive Club to hold monthly meeting
The Progressive Club of the Islands will hold its virtual monthly meeting on Nov. 18 at 4 p.m.
The guest speaker will be Miami lawyer Ellen Freidin, who was the leader of Fair Districts Florida (https://fairdistrictsnow.org/) and its 2010 citizens’ initiative to outlaw gerrymandering.
Due to Fair Districts Florida, the Florida Constitution prohibits drawing districts with intent to favor a political party or incumbent, and requires that districts be compact, contiguous, equal in population and follow existing boundaries, while expressly protecting the rights of minority voters.
After the 2020 Legislature did an end run around the new Constitutional provisions, Freidin led five years of litigation to challenge the maps in court and won, including nine published opinions from the Florida Supreme Court. As a result, the drawn 2012 Congressional and Senate maps were held invalid, and maps submitted by the Fair Districts coalition are now the law. The maps leveled the political playing field Florida, and additional minority representatives were elected.
It is an interactive meeting with time provided for questions. To attend the Zoom meeting, email pcisancap@gmail.com to receive the link or watch online at www.facebook.com/pcisancap.
Annual dues for the Progressive Club are $35 for an individual or $70 for a couple. To renew a membership or join, mail a check payable to PCI to: PCI, P.O. Box 898, Sanibel, FL 33957.
For more information, visit https://pcislands.org or contact 239-994-3175 or pcisancap@gmail.com.