Congressional District Map Approved by NYS Legislature on Feb. 2, 2022
Governor Kathy Hochul and Attorney General Letitia James both announced they intend to appeal the Stueben County Supreme Court‘s rejection of the state’s current redistricting plans.
The Associated Press reports Judge Patrick McAllister issued a ruling Thursday ordering lawmakers to draw maps with “sufficient bipartisan support” by April 11 or have a neutral party draw the lines.
The state’s primary elections are scheduled June 28 and candidates have already begun campaigning in the new districts.
McAllister acknowledged in his opinion that trying to redraw the maps now could upend the election cycle. But he proposed that the state could delay its primaries to as late as August 23 without disrupting the general election.
He said the Republicans who challenged the map had proven “beyond a reasonable doubt that the map was enacted with political bias.”
The maps, drafted by lawmakers and approved by Governor Hochul, ensured that Democrats made up a strong majority of registered voters in 22 of the 26 congressional districts the state will have for a decade.
An appeal could send the case to a mid-level state appeals court or New York’s Court of Appeals, who could set the judge’s decision aside. All seven members of that high court were appointed by Democrats.
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