NY Redistricting Commission Proposes New Congressional Maps

NEW YORK — The New York State Independent Redistricting Commission has released its proposal for the state's congressional districts.

The current districts are outlined in green; the new lines are orange and where they overlap are a greenish-brown.

Before the 2022 election, the commissioners were unable to agree on new district boundaries based on the 2020 Census, so state lawmakers took on the job.

Then a lawsuit challenging their map for unconstitutional gerrymandering was successful. In December 2023, a court ordered the commission to return to work and submit a congressional redistricting plan leading to legislation no later than Feb. 28, 2024.

The commission submitted its plans to the State Legislature on Thursday.

The biggest changes are in central New York. There are no changes proposed on Long Island.

Lee Zeldin, former four-term U.S. Congressman from Long Island, issued a statement opposing the proposal and implying that another lawsuit could result.

"The Independent Redistricting Commission and Legislature should simply adopt the current NY House map as is. Problem solved. All of the chaos and confusion would instantly end," he said. "If the Democrats in the Legislature can't help themselves but to play more hyper partisan games to circumvent the law and constitution, this is only going to end up right back in court."

This go-round, the commission had a large majority in support to submit the map and plan to the Legislature, the commissioners said in their letter to legislative leaders.

"The Commission considered 'the maintenance of cores of existing districts, of preexisting political subdivisions, including counties, cities, and towns, and of communities of interest.' N.Y. Const. art. III, § 4(c)(5). To the extent practicable, districts were drawn to contain equal populations, or as nearly as may be an equal number of inhabitants. Id. § 4(c)(2). All districts were drawn to consist of contiguous territory and to be as compact as practicable given the Commission’s adherence to the foregoing principles. Id. §§ 4(c)(3), (4).

"District lines were further drawn to ensure that no district shall have the purpose of, nor
result in, the denial or abridgement of racial or language minority voting rights. Id. §
4(c)(1). No district was drawn to discourage competition or for the purpose of favoring
or disfavoring incumbents or other candidates or political parties. Id. § 4(c)(5)," the letter said.