New York, NY - Today, the Appellate Division of New York State’s Supreme Court ordered the Independent Redistricting Commission to redraw New York’s Congressional district maps. Last year, New York went through several rounds of redistricting for the State Assembly, State Senate, and U.S. Congress. Barring any further court challenges, the NYS Legislature, which is controlled by Democrats, will have final say over any redrawn maps.
Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director, NYIC Action:
“Last year, New York’s Independent Redistricting Commission failed in its mission of creating fair and bi-partisan congressional maps. As a result, immigrants and communities of color were faced with the detrimental consequences of new Congressional maps creating majority districts for politicians who did not reflect their values winning seats in Congress. In fact, the Commission’s actions led to a slew of xenophobic candidates winning races in their newly drawn districts. Today’s decision is an important step towards ensuring the protection of the rights and needs of all New Yorkers, including immigrant voters, by offering another opportunity to ensure that redrawn maps prioritize the preservation of communities of interest. We are pleased to see the Appellate Division of State Supreme Court’s efforts to revert and create a more fair map that is representative of New York.”