5/1/2024 UPDATE: The City of Miami and a collection of voting rights advocates have come to an agreement on what Miami’s voting map should look like, after more than a year of tense litigation on the back of a federal judge calling the current map "racially gerrymandered." The City will also pay the plaintiff’s legal fees, bringing the total cost of this battle to $3M of taxpayer money.

What does this mean for Shenandoah residents? In the new maps, the boundary between districts 3 & 4 is moving from SW 16th Ave to SW 22nd Ave. If you live between those avenues, your district will change to District 3, currently represented by Joe Carollo. 

What's next: The deal is scheduled to be signed by the City Commission at their regular meeting on May 9. Read more here.

8/17/2023 UPDATE: The US Supreme Court denied the ACLU's appeal so the ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta now stands. 

What does this mean for residents? For the 2023 election cycle, the map approved by the City of Miami Commission in June will be used. (See 8/4 and 6/14 Updates below for details on this map). 

What's next: The case will go to trial in early 2024 so there is a chance the maps could change again before the next City election in 2025. We'll post updates as they happen here. 

8/4/2023 UPDATE: Today a three-judge appellate panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta granted the city’s emergency motion to block the ACLU's map. The lawsuit is expected to go to trial in 2024 but in the meantime, the map which was approved by the City of Miami in June 2023 will remain in place. See the detailed map below. 

Most Shenandoans will remain in their previous district (either 3 or 4). But there are two small slivers of Shenandoah where the new map did make an impact (they are highlighted in yellow on the map):

1. Residents between SW 16th and 17th Avenues from Coral Way to SW 8th street now fall in District 4 instead of District 3.
2. Residents between SW 8 street and SW 9th street from 27th avenue to SW 16th avenue now fall in District 4 instead of District 3.

You can read more about the latest ruling at the Herald. 

8/2/2023 UPDATE: On Sunday July 30, U.S. District Court Judge K. Michael Moore ordered the City of Miami to adopt a map drawn by community groups represented by attorneys for the ACLU (see P4 - Court Ordered Map below). Highlights from this map: 

• All of Shenandoah is included in District 3 (Commissioner Joe Carollo's District).
• Commissioner Reyes, who is up for reelection in November 2023, is losing more than 50% of his current District. 
• Carollo's home & primary residence no longer falls in District 3 (it was drawn into District 3 during the 2022 redistricting exercise). 
• The new map allows Miguel Gabela to continue his challenge to Díaz de la Portilla in District 1 (the map the City approved in June moved Gabela into District 3).

On Monday, July 31, the City appealed the ruling and a Federal Appeals court granted their motion, temporarily blocking the new maps from being implemented. Now the ACLU has until 9am on Wednesday (August 2) to respond to the City's arguments.

The County had a deadline of August 1 for the City to submit its map to allow time to adequately prepare ahead of the November election cycle. 

6/20/2023 UPDATE: MSNA has created a Google map which overlays the 2022 City districts with the version of the City's map approved by the Commission on 6/14. Areas impacted by the change (i.e. moving from one district to another) are highlighted in yellow. 

MSNA stands by its original request, urging the City to unify Shenandoah in District 4. Add your name to our letter by clicking the link below. 

6/14/2023 UPDATE: At the City's special Commission meeting today, the Commission approved a revised version of the maps which will now go back to the judge overseeing the case. See screenshot of the approved map below. 

6/13/2023 UPDATE: During our MSNA meeting last night, Shenandoah residents voiced their opinions, and as an organization, we reached a consensus on our position:

MSNA respectfully and emphatically urges the commission to develop a new district map that reunifies Shenandoah entirely within a single city commission district. Additionally, considering that the majority of Shenandoah's residents (2/3) currently reside in District 4, we strongly request that the commission move the District 4 boundary from SW 17th Avenue to SW 12th Avenue. This adjustment would ensure that all of Shenandoah is encompassed within District 4, minimizing the impact on Shenandoah residents.

We invite all Shenandoah residents to join us in supporting this position by adding their names to MSNA's letter to the commission. Your participation is crucial, and time is of the essence, as the Special Commission meeting is taking place tomorrow, June 14th. To add your name to the letter, please click the link below. We kindly request your prompt response.

Other Ways to Take Action: 

1. Attend the Special Meeting of the City of Miami Commission on June 14th at 10am at City Hall. Even if you do not speak publicly on the issue, your presence will have an impact. 
2. Submit a public comment to the City of Miami online.
3. Join the ACLU letter-writing campaign and complete this form. 
4. Join the Engage letter-writing campaign and complete this form

5/23/2023 UPDATE: On May 23, a federal judge ruled that the current map for the City of Miami's commission districts must be redrawn (read more here). The ruling follows a lawsuit brought by community groups accusations that the maps adopted last year broke up Coconut Grove, Overtown and other neighborhoods in order to meet racial or ethnic quotas.

A Special Meeting has been scheduled by the Commission on Wednesday June 14, 2023 at 10 am at City Hall. The purpose of this meeting is to develop a new voter map to be presented to the presiding district judge. 

4/5/2022 UPDATE: Mayor will Not Veto Map. Mayor Suarez's office released a statement saying the Mayor will not veto the approved voting map. "After carefully reviewing the map, considering the concerns raised by some residents and stakeholders, and communicating with other city leaders and the city's redistricting consultant, Mayor Suarez concluded this was the only product that could pass the commission."

3/24/2022 UPDATE: Map Approved by Commission. By a vote of 3-2, the commission voted to approve the redistricting map. The map does not change the voting district for any resident of Shenandoah. It does, however, change the voting district for a number of other Miamians, most notably in two segments of Coconut Grove which will now be part of District 3 and District 4, respectively (despite an abundance of public comment opposing this shift). 

3/11/2022 UPDATE: Vote on Map Deferred to 3/24. After discussion & public comment at today's special commission meeting, the commission voted to defer the final vote on redistricting to the regularly scheduled Commission Meeting on March 24th at 2:30pm. Between now and then, the consultant will meet with each of the commissioners to incorporate their proposed changes. To see our notes on today's meeting, please click here: MSNA's Redistricting Meeting Notes 3-11-2022