BROOKLYN – A panel of three federal judges in Brooklyn are ready to adopt a set of court-drawn congressional maps with minimal changes. If adopted under the plan, Chautauqua County would become part of a congressional district that covers much of the Southern Tier of New York State.
According to the Albany Times-Union reporter Jimmy Vielkind, formal ruling on the congressional district is expected to come soon. District lines must be set by March 20, when candidates can begin circulating petitions before the June 26 primary.
Under the latest plan from Albany, Chautauqua County would be part of the 23rd Congressional District
Appellate Division Judge Reena Raggi said the panel has a real concern about the ripple effect with respect to any changes that are made in any one district. As a result, there’s a good chance the plan submitted earlier this month by federal Magistrate Roanne Mann, will see little changes.
The judges seized control of the congressional redistricting process late last month, when they accepted an argument the state officials charged with drawing new districts had reached impasse.
Under the Mann plan, Chautauqua County would join the 23rd Congressional District – which stretches across the Southern Tier all the way to and including Tioga County. The district would also include Cattaraugus, Allegany, Steuben, Chemung, Schuyler, Yates Tompkins and Seneca counties – along with a portion of Ontario County.
[…] upon learning he would no longer have the opportunity to serve as the area’s congressman when new congressional district lines are put in place in […]