The Florida Legislature is pursuing efforts to redraw congressional district maps outside the regular redistricting cycle, following the example of Texas, where President Trump urged Republicans to help him secure five more safe GOP seats there.
This stampede into mid-cycle redistricting is more about power than fairness. I urge my fellow Broward residents to closely follow this issue as it will impact our votes in upcoming elections.
Redistricting is done once a decade to reflect population changes in the last census. The 2021-2022 redistricting cycle conducted constitutionally mandated reapportionment. Preparation has long been underway for the 2030 census.
Rushing it, or doing it in secret, breaks trust with voters and undermines fair representation. It’s a clearly partisan attack to dilute voting power. It’s an unprecedented waste of time, especially when the Legislature should concentrate on affordable housing, property insurance, environmental resiliency and other issues.
Voters — not politicians — should decide who represents us. Redrawing maps for political gain is dangerous, silences our voices and weakens our democracy. Fair maps should be created in ways that are transparent and community-driven. When elected officials rewrite the rules, the public loses. I urge readers to speak up.
Allyson Meyers, Fort Lauderdale
The writer is co-president of the League of Women Voters of Broward County.
(Editor’s Note: The Florida House formed a Select Redistricting Committee for the 2026 session. No one from Broward is on the panel. The lone Palm Beach County member is Republican Rep. Peggy Gossett-Seidman of Highland Beach.)
Ladapo endangers us
The Florida Surgeon General wants to eliminate vaccine mandates for schoolchildren, claiming families should decide whether to vaccinate their children or not.
Dr. Joseph Ladapo was asked by CNN’s Jake Tapper if he bothered to do any data analysis or projections of how many new cases of vaccine-preventable diseases would occur if mandates were lifted for everyone in Florida, including schoolchildren. “Absolutely not,” he said.
“Fear tactics don’t belong in health. The truth is simple: parents—not bureaucrats—should have the final say on vaccines for their children.”
–@FLSurgeonGen Joseph A. Ladapo, MD, spent nine powerful minutes educating Jake Tapper on informed consent, on CNN. pic.twitter.com/R8wHhAnXPl
— The HighWire (@HighWireTalk) September 9, 2025
There’s no need for this. It has been done. Infectious disease experts at Stanford found that a 15% decline in vaccination against measles alone over the next 25 years, will lead to 1 million new cases and that for every 1,000 cases of measles, there are roughly two deaths.
Why he won’t discuss the potential dangers of removing vaccination requirements, given what we know, is reprehensible.
The mission of the Surgeon General and the state Department of Health is to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida. Dr. Ladapo’s actions with respect to vaccinations do not align with the mission of his office.
Peter Gannett, Weston
A plea to Republicans
The only ones who can stop Trump and save America from total ruin are the Republicans. They are the majority in the federal government, so they are the only ones capable.
It should be painfully clear by now that the country is on its way to irreversible damage by the Trump administration and its sycophants in Congress. The Department of Justice and the Supreme Court are in his camp and they refuse to challenge and stop this madman from destroying democracy and this once-great country.
Sanford Shuster, Boynton Beach
Totally out of place
Enough absurdity!
If anyone is a hero or a successful, honorable citizen, yes, rename a street for them. But since Gov. Ron DeSantis is removing rainbow street colors, renaming a street for President Trump is out of place. Trump is not the kind of citizen we can be proud of.
Sarina Eliyakim, Fort Lauderdale
Please submit a letter to the editor by email to letterstotheeditor@sunsentinel.com or fill out the online form below. Letters may be up to 200 words and must be signed with your email address, city of residence and daytime phone number for verification. Letters will be edited for clarity and length.
https://www.sun-sentinel.com/2025/09/16/fight-this-republican-power-grab-letters-to-the-editor/
