New York’s highest court has upheld two lower court rulings…throwing out the state senate and congressional redistricting maps drawn up by the state legislature’s Democratic majority. The court found the process unconstitutional and ordered new districts to be drawn by a neutral third party for the upcoming primary and general elections.
A four-three majority of the court suggested that the June primary election will probably have to be moved back to August while the new districts are drawn. State Assembly districts were found not to be in violation, so candidates can go ahead and run on those district lines.
The voided maps would have given Democrats an advantage in 22 of the state’s 26 congressional districts, possibly affecting the national Democratic/Republican Congressional balance. It would have put two more of the state’s 63 State Senate districts under control of heavily-Democratic New York City and given Democrats a leg up in three Republican-held districts.
After seeing those maps, Republicans sued, charging the process was constitutionally defective and gerrymandered in favor of the Democrats. All three state courts have now agreed.