Last November 5, the FBI swooped into sleepy Levy County and stunned everyone by arresting two Levy County Commissioners, Sammy Yearty and Tony Parker.  Both men were charged with accepting bribes.  Yearty's arrest, in particular was shocking.  He had served on the Levy County Commission since 1978---just five years after my family moved from neighboring Alachua County.  His father and grandfather had both served on the Commission.  Everyone in Levy County knows the Yearty family.

Shortly after their arrest, Gov. Charlie Crist removed both men from office.  Several months later, Crist appointed Marsha Drew of Yankeetown to fill Yearty's seat.  Over eight months after the Governor removed him from office; however, Tony Parker's seat remains vacant---and Levy County voters are beginning to voice their frustration with the Governor.  The Governor has, after all, had time to travel the state (and the country) over the past few months raising $4.3 million for his Senate campaign, but has seemingly been unable to find the time to appoint a County Commissioner---one of the responsibilities of the office of Governor---months after interviewing candidates and narrowing the list down to three candidates.  

Levy County Commission Chair Nancy Bell told the Cedar Key News that she calls the Governor's Office almost daily requesting an update and she's not alone.  The Cedar Key News also detailed their own efforts to contact the Governor's Office to determine the status of the appointment---an effort that has been remarkably unsuccessful.  Other small local newspapers are beginning to speak out against a Governor that has seemingly neglected his responsibilities where this small, rural county is concerned.  

Even Republican officials in Levy County are upset with the Governor.  They launched a letter-writing campaign to persuade the Governor to appoint Abraham Blitch to the post.  Blitch lost to Parker by less than 400 votes in the last election and party officials thought he would be a natural choice.  Their efforts, said GOP Official Michelle Finnen, "have fallen on deaf ears."

The Governor's office has been quick to appoint replacements to vacancies in wealthier counties around the state, such as Hillsborough County and Palm Beach, but rural Levy County remains neglected---a fact that does not bode well for any rural voters looking for representation from a Senator Charlie Crist.

Redistricting drives everything, from the Florida House and Senate to the US House of Representatives.  For years, conservatives in Jacksonville have bemoaned the one district that they felt best exemplified the practice of gerrymandering---US House District 3, represented by Democrat Corrine Brown.  What conservatives fail to acknowledge is that Ms. Brown's district was left in place by the Florida Legislature during the last redistricting process, and for good reason.  By piecing together a high concentration of Democrat and minority voters in one district, Republicans effectively ensured that Ander Crenshaw (R-Jacksonville), John Mica (R-Winter Park) and Cliff Stearns (R-Ocala) would face no real Democratic opposition in their races.  The three Republicans won re-election in 2008 with 65%, 62% and 61% of the vote, respectively.  

US House District 11 is even more curious, perhaps, than District 3.  This congressional District, represented by Democrat Kathy Castor, shares parts of three counties and shares no land borders.  Before Republicans point to this as another example of  gerrymandering that benefits Democrats; however, they should remember that Republicans drew these borders.  This, of course, begs the question, "Why would Republicans draw a border to ensure a Democratic seat in Hillsborough, Manatee and Pinellas Counties?"  One reason.  By giving Ms. Castor a "safe district", they also ensured that Rep. C. W. Bill Young (R-Indian Shores) could hang onto the seat he has held since before Richard Nixon's resignation.  

Uncompetitive races (both at the federal and state level) do nothing to benefit voters and one organization has taken shape in Florida to change that.  FairDistrictsFlorida.org has been collecting signatures for a petition that would work to bring logical fairness to the process of drawing boundaries.  

While protecting minority voting rights, the standards would prohibit drawing district lines to favor or disfavor any incumbent or political party. Districts would have to be compact and utilize existing political and geographical boundaries. In other words, natural competitiveness and fairness would be required.

Each congressional district represents roughly 650,000 people.  Jacksonville, a city of of roughly 800,000 residents, has three US Representatives sharing pieces of the City.  (In addition, John Mica represents portions of St. Johns County.)  Why shouldn't the City be represented by one Representative who was truly focused solely on Jacksonville?  Why shouldn't this race be a true competition that pitted the best candidate Jacksonville Democrats could put forward against the best Republican candidate?  Why shouldn't the voters of the City be able to claim the same representative in Congress?

Redistricting is truly a powerful force.  In 2004, Texas Republicans utilized it to redraw boundaries that guaranteed Republicans would remain in the control of the US House.  No doubt Democrats will attempt to do the same in the states they control.  This shouldn't be the case.  Redistricting should not be dependent on party affiliation, rather it should depend on logical boundaries that truly define our counties, cities and areas of the state.