Every ten years the Legislature draws up a new redistricting map based upon the census.
And as of last week, both the Florida Senate and House officially passed the 2012 Redistricting Maps.
The current maps give Jackson County two voices in the House, covered by both District 5 and District 7. With the new maps, there's a fear of a loss of representation for rural America.
"We're disappointed that we're going to lose one of our representatives," says Art Kimbrough, the President of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. "We felt at an advantage to have two representatives. Unfortunately they way the map is drawn, it put them at odds with each other and now we will be represented by one representative."
Currently, Jackson County is has two representatives for the area. Representative Brad Drake covers District 5 and Marti Coley represents District 7. The new maps move all of Jackson County into one district, District 5. This would mean Marti Coley would no longer be living in her district, facing her with the option to move or run against Representative Drake in District 5.
According to Coley, Drake has decided to step aside and rerun in 2014 and not oppose Coley in her home town.
"Representative Drake and I work very well together and neither one of us wanted to run against each other because we know we both do a good job," says Coley. "We both work hard. So with his support and his willingness to sit out for a term, this seems absolutely the right thing to do."
This decision will allow Representative Coley to take on her fourth and last term and will allow Representative Drake to take on a fresh term slate in 2014. The bills still have to be signed by the Governor before they can become law.
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