A lawsuit filed on behalf of four New Yorkers claims the state's congressional map unlawfully dilutes Black and Latino votes in the 11th Congressional District, according to The New York Times.
The district now includes Staten Island and part of southern Brooklyn.
The suit argues the boundaries violate New York's new Voting Rights Act by confining minority voters to a district where they can't influence elections.
Democracy Docket reported that the plaintiffs claim the racial makeup of the district isn't represented properly.
The complaint reads in part, "The racial demographics of Staten Island have changed significantly over the last several decades, but the 2024 Congressional Map does not reflect those changes."
The complaint also contends the district boundaries are "antiquated" by comparison with the New York State Assembly map, which "links communities of interest in Staten Island's North Shore and southern Manhattan."
The district is represented by Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, R-N.Y., the only GOP member of Congress from New York City.
The case was filed in the State Supreme Court in Manhattan by the Elias Law Group, a firm known for election litigation.
Democrats view the case as a potential way to regain ground in the 2026 midterms after Republicans captured four House seats in 2022. Those gains helped secure the GOP's slim majority in the House of Representatives.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul pledged to "fight fire with fire" against Republican-led redistricting in states like Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina. She said Democrats won't "sit on the sidelines" while other states manipulate maps to gain an advantage.
New York's redistricting process is managed by an independent commission created in 2014 to reduce political influence. That panel deadlocked before the 2022 elections, forcing the Democrat-controlled Legislature to draw maps that were later struck down by a judge.
The judge appointed a special master who drew new lines that helped Republicans gain four districts.
Democrats later won permission to revise the maps again, but chose a limited redraw to avoid another court battle.
Only three districts were significantly changed, including the 22nd in Syracuse, the 19th in the Hudson Valley, and the 3rd on Long Island. Democrats went on to win all three in 2024.
Jim Mishler ✉
Jim Mishler, a seasoned reporter, anchor and news director, has decades of experience covering crime, politics and environmental issues.
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