FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: October 14, 2022
JACKSONVILLE, FL – The Jacksonville City Council is meeting at 1 p.m. today to discuss the redistricting federal court order mandating that the council redraws racially gerrymandered district maps.
Jacksonville City Council candidate Joshua Hicks issued the following statement ahead of the meeting on redistricting:
“This week, a federal court made clear what has been apparent to us all for months: the proposed map for Jacksonville City Council unfairly dilutes the voting power of tens of thousands of residents, effectively reducing their ability to have their voice heard for the next decade. It is a blatant act of racial gerrymandering that, unfortunately, seems to have become standard business for too many, like my opponent Ron Salem, that are tasked with serving the entire community.
“Voters deserve a system built on trust — trust that the decisions made locally will be in their best interest. Rather than waste taxpayer dollars on an appeal of a system that seeks to silence the impact of Black voters, council members should do their job: draw a fair map.”
Joshua Hicks is a career non-profit professional running for Jacksonville City Council At-Large, Group 2 to address the city’s affordable housing crisis, make good on decades of broken infrastructure promises, help small businesses thrive, and ensure representation for every person who lives in the city.
