Voters across Hillsborough County keep asking the same questions: what exactly is HB 1D, why did the map change now, is it legal, and what does it mean for my ballot? This explainer answers each one factually — this site is a campaign site for John Peters, a Republican candidate in the new FL-14, but the facts below stand on their own sources.
What Is Florida HB 1D?
HB 1-D is the congressional redistricting bill from Florida’s 2026 Special Session D. Gov. DeSantis called the session in January 2026, and lawmakers convened in Tallahassee on April 28, 2026, for the sole purpose of redrawing congressional districts. The bill passed the Florida House 83–28 and the Florida Senate 21–17 on April 29, 2026, largely along party lines, and the governor signed it on May 4, 2026 — Chapter 2026-229, Laws of Florida. The enacted plan is designated EOGPCRP2026.
The new districts apply beginning with the 2026 elections: the members elected on November 3, 2026 take office in January 2027 under the new lines, while current members serve out their terms under the old ones.
What Changed — Statewide and in Tampa Bay
The new map redraws 21 of Florida’s 28 congressional districts; Districts 1 through 7 are unchanged. The Tampa Bay region saw some of the biggest changes, and the city of Tampa is now split among three districts:
- District 14 loses its Pinellas County portion and sits entirely within Hillsborough County, covering the county’s eastern and southern communities and part of south Tampa. Precincts inside the new lines voted 55–44 for Donald Trump in 2024, compared with the old district’s Democratic lean. Nine-term incumbent Kathy Castor is running for re-election here; eight Republicans qualified for the August 18 primary.
- District 15 (incumbent Laurel Lee, R) now stretches from Tampa north through all of Hernando and Citrus counties plus parts of Pasco and Hillsborough, dropping its old Polk County portion.
- District 16 (where incumbent Vern Buchanan, R, has announced his retirement) now covers all of Manatee, DeSoto, and Hardee counties plus parts of Pinellas — including parts of St. Petersburg — Polk, and Sarasota, dropping its Hillsborough portion.
The practical effect in Hillsborough: communities like Brandon, Valrico, Riverview, Plant City, and Sun City Center, previously divided among Districts 14, 15, and 16, now all vote in the new FL-14. The full old-map-vs-new-map comparison is in the before-and-after guide, and the community-by-community answer is at Am I in the new FL-14?
Why a Mid-Decade Redraw?
Two threads, both worth stating carefully.
The stated rationale: state officials cited Florida’s rapid population growth since the 2020 Census and argued the prior map contained unconstitutional racial gerrymandering, pointing to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Louisiana v. Callais on race-based redistricting.
The national context: Florida’s redraw is part of a wave of mid-decade redistricting for the 2026 elections that began when Texas redrew its map in 2025. By spring 2026, a half-dozen states had enacted new congressional maps — including California, where voters approved a Democratic-drawn map by ballot measure in November 2025. Mid-decade redraws are historically unusual; 2025–26 has produced more of them than any recent cycle.
Is HB 1D Being Challenged in Court?
Yes — and here is the status, stated precisely. Before passage, two Florida voters petitioned the Florida Supreme Court to void the special-session proclamation; that petition was denied. After the signing, Equal Ground Education Fund and Florida voters sued in Leon County circuit court, alleging the map violates the Florida Constitution’s Fair Districts Amendment — which prohibits drawing districts with the intent to favor a political party or incumbent, and requires contiguity and, where feasible, compactness.
Courts declined to block the map for 2026: a Leon County judge denied a preliminary injunction on May 26, citing the approaching election, and on June 10 the Florida Supreme Court ruled 6–1 (Justice Labarga dissenting) that it lacked jurisdiction to intervene at that stage. No court has yet decided whether the map complies with the Fair Districts Amendment — the June rulings did not reach the merits — and with the June 12 candidate-qualifying deadline passed, the HB 1D map will be used for the November 2026 elections.
What HB 1D Means for Your 2026 Ballot
If you live in Hillsborough County, there is a real chance your congressional district changed — the Supervisor of Elections is mailing updated voter information cards countywide. Three things to do: check which district your community is in now, look at the full FL-14 map with address search, and review who is running in the new district before the August 18 primary.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did Florida HB 1D do?
HB 1D redrew 21 of Florida’s 28 congressional districts effective with the 2026 elections. It passed the Legislature on April 29, 2026 in a special session and was signed May 4, 2026, becoming Chapter 2026-229, Laws of Florida.
Is the new Florida congressional map legal?
Courts allowed the map to be used for 2026 but have not ruled on the underlying challenge. A Leon County judge declined to block it in May, and the Florida Supreme Court declined 6–1 to intervene in June without addressing whether the map complies with the Fair Districts Amendment. That question remains undecided.
How did HB 1D change Florida’s 14th Congressional District?
The old FL-14 centered on Tampa and reached across the bay into parts of Pinellas County. The new FL-14 lies entirely within Hillsborough County, covering its eastern and southern communities plus part of south Tampa — an area whose precincts voted 55–44 for Trump in 2024.
Do I vote under the new map in 2026?
Yes. Both the August 18, 2026 primary and the November 3, 2026 general election use the new HB 1D districts. Current members of Congress represent the old districts until the new terms begin in January 2027.
Know Your District Before August 18
The map changed; the election is on schedule. Confirm your district on the FL-14 interactive map, see the community-by-community before and after, and meet the candidates on your ballot.