Park Slope And Staten Island Congressional District Tossed By Judge

BROOKLYN, NY — Park Slopers might not vote alongside Staten Islanders in congressional elections after all, following a New York State judge's ruling Thursday that Democrats unconstitutionally redrew legislative districts to benefit their party.

In an 18-page ruling, Acting State Supreme Court Judge Patrick McAllister said the maps, drawn after every U.S. Census, were redistricted by Democrats in Albany to give the party a political advantage in 22 of 26 congressional seats — violating a constitutional amendment in New York aimed to end partisan gerrymandering.

The redistricted maps, for instance, replaced conservative southern Brooklyn enclaves with liberal neighborhoods like Park Slope in Staten Island's 11th District, putting U.S. Rep Nicole Malliotakis' seat — the only congressional seat in New York City held by a Republican — into question.

Justice McAllister, a Republican from the state's southwestern Steuben County, rendered the congressional maps (and those for the State Senate and Assembly) "void and not usable" in this year's election, instead ordering Democrats to come up with new "bipartisanly supported maps" by April 11th — just as candidates wrap up petitioning to get on the primary ballots (all based on now-in-limbo maps).

Under a new court order temporarily suspending the judge's ruling, though, the New York Board of Elections told candidates Friday to continue with business as usual, and submit petitions to make the ballot for Congress, State Senate, and Assembly seats between April 4th and 7th as Democrats appeal the ruling.

"We will receive petitions next week and proceed as if the June 28th primary is moving ahead," a BOE representative told City & State shortly after Gov. Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James announced plans to appeal Justice McAllister's decision.

Some lawmakers, though, cheered Justice McAllister's ruling — Malliotakis among them.

"It’s clear to all that Albany Democrats redrew our district to tilt the scale and steal our seat. It’s not just wrong, it’s also a violation of the State Constitution," she told the New York Post. "We are encouraged by the action of the court and we await the new district maps."

Democrats' redistricted maps were first released — and passed the legislature — in February, after New York's independent redistricting commission — a body created for the purpose of nonpartisan redistricting — failed to approve a bipartisan map in January.

Party leaders have long-insisted that the maps don't benefit their party unfairly and are simply a reversal of Republicans' past partisan redistricting efforts.

Related Article: Park Slope Joins Staten Island In Congressional Redistricting