The Common Cause-backed redistricting initiative in Florida officially qualified for the ballot. We've been working hard on this -- behind the scenes and getting signatures gathered. The fight is on!

Here's a report from Jon Goldin-Dubois, who works for us on redistricting and many other things:

After many months and much hard work, including the collection of more than 900,000 signatures to qualify a constitutional amendment for the ballot in Florida, today the Florida Secretary of State certified 638,220 petitions and designated the independent redistricting measure as Amendment 5 on November’s ballot.

For years the state legislature has used its authority to draw legislative districts to eliminate accountability in Florida’s elections. In 2004, not one legislator for either party in the Congressional Delegation, State Senate, or State House lost. In fact, many of them did not even face a general election opponent at all.

The measure, backed by Common Cause and the League of Women Voters removes the conflict of interest from today’s broken and unfair system which relies on incumbent politicians drawing their own district lines and choosing their own voters, instead of allowing voters to choose those that best represent them. Under the proposal, the power to draw Congressional and Legislative elections will be vested in an independent redistricting commission that will work to keep communities together.

In addition to support from Common Cause and the League of Women Voters, the amendment has bi-partisan backing including: Senator Bob Graham, Rep. Carrie Meek, General Bob Milligan, Betty Castor and Thom Rumberger.