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The way Florida’s legislative districts are divided may have helped Republicans hang onto majorities in the state House and Senate. Thursday the Florida Supreme Court listened to augments over an anti-gerrymandering amendment. Gerrymandering is when lawmakers divide congressional and legislative districts unfairly to give their party an edge. Attorney Barry Richard represents Fair Districts Florida and said gerrymandering has been going on for decades.

“It basically raises the bar. Because the Republicans are in power now and because they’ve drawn the districting, Democrats have a higher burden than Republicans in order to change the face of the legislature. I’m not saying it’s just a Republican problem. The Democrats did the same thing for many, many years,” said Richard.

If the Supreme Court Justices rule in favor of the amendment, the issue would go to voters on the 2010 ballot.