On March 31, Acting Supreme Court Justice Patrick McAllister, from Steuben County in upstate New York, ruled that the new, proposed state senate and congressional maps for the state were unconstitutionally drawn and ordered new lines to be crafted by April 11.
The maps were drawn by democrats after an independent redistricting groups recommendations were not accepted, and after a compromise with republicans never happened. New York’s top two democrats, Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James, said “we intend to appeal this decision.”
State Senate spokesperson Mike Murphy added, “This is one step in the process. We always knew this case would be decided by the appellate courts. We are appealing this decision and expect this decision will be stayed as the appeal process proceeds.”
The matter will be heard by the New York State Court of Appeals, sometime next week. The Chief Judge of the NYS Court of Appeals is Chief Justice Janet DiFiore from Westchester.
New York State currently has 27 members of the US House of Representatives. After the 2020 census, NY lost one seat, meaning that one of the current seats would have to be drawn into the remaining 26 seats. Democrats hold 19 of the current 27 seats, and after redrawing the lines, are projected to win 22 of the 26 seats this fall.
This would give house democrats a pickup of 3 seats in New York State. Currently, Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House democrats hold a narrow, 12 seat majority, with republicans expected to retake control in November. So any democratic pickups that could be had in NY would be helpful to the slim chances for Pelosi to maintain the Speaker’s gavel.
If the state’s highest court agrees with Justice McAllister, it would create an election nightmare, because candidates for Congress and state Assembly and Senate are out right now collecting signatures which are due April 7. If new districts have to be redrawn by April 11, a whole new set of petition deadlines might have to be set and new petitions collected by candidates.
One Westchester Congressional district that is affected by this decision is the 16th -NY, which now runs from the Bronx up to Putnam County and currently held by Rep. Jamaal Bowman.
Republicans filed the lawsuit, in an upstate, republican heavy county, and were pleased with the decision. “The people won, and the politicians lost,” said former NY Congressman John Faso, who helped file the suit.
