Courtesy of the Independent Redistricting Commission
New York’s bipartisan Independent Redistricting Commission voted 9-to-1 on Feb. 16 to approve a new congressional map. While the proposed map leaves most of New York’s 26 districts largely unchanged, there are implications for voters in the Pine Plains Central School District, with significant changes affecting the 18th and 19th districts.
If the proposed map is approved, the 19th district would tip three points in favor of Republican incumbent Marcus Molinaro, while Democrats would secure a similar advantage in the 18th district, represented by incumbent Democrat Pat Ryan, according to political analysis by The Hill.
Courtesy of The United States House of Representatives
In order to take effect, the new map must be approved by the Democratic-led Legislature, which has the option of either approving the commission’s map or rejecting it and instead drawing its own. Then, it must be signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat.
There is currently no date established for the Legislature to vote on the newly proposed map. The communications offices for Assemblymember Didi Barrett, Speaker Carl E. Heastie and Majority Leader Crystal D. Peoples-Stokes did not return the Herald’s request for comment.
“Voters in New York are rightfully exhausted by this ongoing saga,” Rep. Molinaro told the Herald. “I’m hopeful the Legislature will approve the bipartisan commission maps and put this back and forth to an end.”
The “back and forth” began in 2022, when the Independent Redistricting Commission failed to come to a consensus when drawing the congressional map, so the responsibility fell to the Legislature.
The Legislature put forward a map that favored Democrats, leading to a Republican lawsuit that resulted in the map being thrown out.
Courtesy of The United States House of Representatives
Then, New York State Supreme Court Justice Patrick F. McAllister, a Republican, appointed Jonathan Cervas of the Institute for Politics and Strategy at Carnegie Mellon University to draw a new map.
Cervas’ map was used for the 2022 congressional elections in which New York Republicans flipped several Democratic seats, helping to secure a Republican majority in Congress.
On Dec. 12, 2023, following a lawsuit filed by state Democrats, New York’s highest court voted to throw out Cervas’ map and ordered the Independent Redistricting Commission to draw up yet another map.
Two lawsuits and several maps later, with the November election drawing closer by the day, the pressure is on for New York lawmakers to agree on a map.
“No matter where the district lines fall,” said Rep. Ryan, “no matter which Trump-picked extremist they run against me, the choice this fall is clear: I’m running on a positive vision for the future of the Hudson Valley – to deliver economic relief, to protect and expand our fundamental American freedoms, and to actually fix the problems facing our country.”