State Legislature proposes new congressional map (NYS)
Democratic lawmakers on Monday once again upended the redistricting process when they rejected a bipartisan proposal for new congressional districts in favor of drawing their own. The Legislature’s proposed map, released early Tuesday morning, is far less bombastic than the last time they attempted to draw their own maps in 2022, nudging some districts further to the left while offering relatively minor changes to the plan Democrats voted down. But as legislative Democrats appeared to play it safer, in hopes of avoiding yet another redistricting lawsuit, others in the party were left wishing they had taken bigger swings.
The Legislature’s newly-released map makes some districts a little more blue than the bipartisan Independent Redistricting Commission’s map would have done, including the 3rd Congressional District on Long Island, recently won by Democrat Tom Suozzi, and the 19th Congressional District in the Hudson Valley, held by Republican Rep. Marc Molinaro. The legislative proposal also keeps the Independent Redistricting Commission’s proposed changes to the 22nd Congressional District in Central New York, held by Republican Rep. Brandon Williams, that would also bump up Democrats’ favorability for the seat based on 2020 election results.
On the primary side, a tweak to the 16th Congressional District held by Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman would place Co-Op City back into his district, while removing part of the Wakefield neighborhood of the Bronx. That could play a role as he attempts to fend off a primary challenge from Westchester Executive George Latimer.
Lawmakers introduced and promptly amended the new redistricting bill on Monday before midnight, meaning that legislators can vote on the new congressional lines as soon as Thursday. They could vote even sooner if Gov. Kathy Hochul offers a message of necessity, which would waive the three-day aging period usually necessary for legislation. Although the bill history says all changes were made before midnight, the amended language was not actually made available until the early hours of Tuesday morning.
https://www.cityandstateny.com/politics/2024/02/state-legislature-proposes-new-congressional-map/394483/
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