Orange County, Fla., will soon have two brand new districts, resulting in eight districts (and commissioners), instead of six, due to the approval of Charter Amendment 6 during the last presidential election. Normally, Orange County redistricts after the United States Census provides new population data, which is every ten years. However, due to the amendment, a mid-decennial redrawing of the district boundaries is occurring now instead of 2030.
The 2025 Mid-Decennial Redistricting Advisory Committee was created to begin the redistricting process and ensure that the population of each district is balanced and fairly represented. The MRAC consists of 15 individuals, comprised of two nominations per current commissioner and three nominations by Jerry Demings, the mayor of Orange County. While the position is entirely voluntary, each individual has experience and knowledge in public administration, law, politics, and other related fields.
Redistricting is an incredibly tedious process that requires MRAC to think about population, minority representation, district lines, the compactness of districts, the protection of incumbents, public opinion, the interests of municipalities, and so much more. A significant issue that must be avoided when redistricting is gerrymandering, which is when electoral boundaries are drawn and manipulated to favor a certain party or class. By having a diverse board of committee members representing all of Orange County, it can be assured that a bipartisan opinion is creating the new map to ensure equal representation.
There have been many areas of controversy when discussing redistricting. One example is District 5, which encompasses the University, Winter Park, Maitland, Christmas, and Wedgefield areas, and features a mix of rural and urban sections. There has been considerable support to separate the urban areas of Winter Park and Maitland from the more rural sections. But there is more to redistricting than just technical solutions: one must also consider the nature of the people who live in these areas and how they relate to each other. Some feel that the urban and rural areas of District 5 are “too different” from one another and may need to be separated into different districts.
There are also opinions of dividing Communities of Interest, or CDPs. In one way, it makes sense to keep CDPs together, as people of a community can all relate to one another and have similar interests in mind. However, when trying to balance population representation and land boundaries, this does not always work out. For instance, Pine Hills is currently divided between District 2 and District 6. Some support keeping the Pine Hills area in one district to prevent its population’s voting power from being diluted.
Certain municipalities and areas also express support or disdain for the choices that committee members make when creating and presenting maps. Mayors and council members of cities may request to remain in a specific district or stay together with certain areas that share similar interests. For example, it appears to be an unpopular option to split the areas of Lockhart and Alafaya apart. When presenting a map, committee members who represent those areas in their respective districts may vote down on a map due to those constraints.
Another thing that committee members have to think about is incorporated and unincorporated municipalities. An incorporated municipality, like Orlando, provides its own public services, which are primarily paid for through property taxes, whereas an unincorporated municipality receives services through the county. Orlando has its own government, and residents are under the umbrellas of both the city and the county, but residents living in unincorporated areas are only governed by the county. By living in an unincorporated area, a person may pay fewer property taxes, but they may receive fewer public services. When redistricting, it is important to balance both incorporated and unincorporated areas to facilitate equal representation and balance the interests of all communities. For example, there has been debate on how to group the area of Horizon West, an up-and-coming area in Orange County. Some believe that it should be kept to one district to support its growth in the coming years.
The MRAC last met on Sept. 3, the latest of 19 official meetings where the committee has reviewed countless maps, according to Orange County. On Sept. 16, they will present their two approved maps to the Board of County Commissioners. The Board will adopt a final redistricting plan by Nov. 1 to give potential candidates for office time to campaign.
If you’d like to take a look at the potential redistricting maps or learn more about redistricting, visit Orange County Florida Mapping or Orange County Redistricting. Redistricting is a process that affects everyone living in Orange County, and it is important to get involved with your community to make sure your voice is heard. If you have an opinion on the redistricting maps, sign up for public comment at the BCC chambers on Sept. 16.