Under the best of circumstances, maps of New York State's reapportioned congressional districts would routinely arrive at the print shop today following Wednesday's approval of their new lines by the Senate and Assembly.
But while the Legislature has completed its constitutional task following the inability of an independent commission to reach consensus, the maps may not be finalized for printing yet. Republican sources indicated Wednesday the matter will most likely be argued in court amid charges of partisan gerrymandering surrounding the process.
Still, the Assembly passed the measure Wednesday by a 103-45 vote, largely along partisan lines. The Senate followed later by a margin of 43-20. Both houses turn their attention Thursday to new lines for the state's Senate and Assembly districts.
Though the plan for New York's congressional districts may still face judicial review, the new lines reflect results of the 2020 census and the continuing loss of upstate population. That forced mapmakers to reduce the state congressional delegation from 27 to 26, and significantly expands the land area of the surviving upstate districts.
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But GOP officials say the process, controlled by Democrats enjoying super-majorities in both the Assembly and Senate, aimed to reduce the number of Republicans representing the state in the House of Representatives – maybe from six to three. The Legislature acted Wednesday after the Independent Redistricting Commission, composed of an equal number of Republicans and Democrats and created by a 2014 constitutional amendment, could not agree on new districts.
Former Republican State Sen. Jack Martins, vice chairman of the redistricting commission, said Wednesday night on "Capital Tonight" on Spectrum News that the stalemate "may have been what they (the Democrats) had in mind all along. ... They put together maps without any Republican input."Â
State Sen. Michael Gianaris defended the process on "Capital Tonight," saying that the plan complied with the State Constitution and statutory rules and contending that it corrected decades of gerrymandering by Republicans.Â
Martins and Gianaris both expected that the plan will face lawsuits. Gianaris noted that court challenges may affect this year's primary elections "in ways we can't predict right now."Â
Now, Republican dominated districts appear to have survived in Western New York, Central New York, the North Country and on Long Island, but some have also been redrawn into strange shapes traversing across hundreds of miles. The new 24th District in which Republican Rep. Chris Jacobs of Orchard Park plans to run, for example, stretches from the Niagara River and around Rochester to the Thousand Islands. Jacobs would also be forced to move, since he does not reside in the new district.
Republican Rep. Claudia Tenney of Oneida County has also announced plans to run in the new 23rd District that basically comprises the current Southern Tier district represented by the retiring Rep. Tom Reed, R-Corning. She would also be required to move from her New Hartford home into the Southern Tier, should she win. Tenney is considered the leading contender for the new district's GOP nod following the Wednesday decision of former Republican State Sen. Cathy Young of Olean to pass on running in the 2022 election.
Republicans also claim other districts around the state have also been reapportioned to unfairly benefit Democrats.Â
