WAER (NPR): NYS redistricting committee could release new congressional map today

02.15.2024 / By Patrick McCullough
WAER (NPR): NYS redistricting committee could release new congressional map today

Thursday's meeting will be open to the public, but Executive Director of Common Cause New York Susan Lerner says the state’s redistricting process has largely been conducted behind closed doors. “The commission, which has held no meeting, after being charged with drawing a new congressional map, has announced that it’s going to meet on Thursday afternoon, and they’re going to vote on a map," Lerner said. "Nobody’s seen it, nobody’s made any comments about it, nobody has been able to provide feedback.” The bipartisan panel has two weeks to agree on a map to send to New York’s Democrat-controlled legislature for final approval. If they can’t agree on congressional lines, Lerner says the commission runs the risk of delaying this year’s primaries. “If the maps aren’t settled and in the hands of the boards of elections to let candidates know where the boundary lines are, we could see a situation where the primary for congress is pushed back to August, which we think is not helpful to voters," Lerner said.

Thursday’s meeting will be open to the public, but Executive Director of Common Cause New York Susan Lerner says the state’s redistricting process has largely been conducted behind closed doors.

“The commission, which has held no meeting, after being charged with drawing a new congressional map, has announced that it’s going to meet on Thursday afternoon, and they’re going to vote on a map,” Lerner said. “Nobody’s seen it, nobody’s made any comments about it, nobody has been able to provide feedback.”

The bipartisan panel has two weeks to agree on a map to send to New York’s Democrat-controlled legislature for final approval.

If they can’t agree on congressional lines, Lerner says the commission runs the risk of delaying this year’s primaries.

“If the maps aren’t settled and in the hands of the boards of elections to let candidates know where the boundary lines are, we could see a situation where the primary for congress is pushed back to August, which we think is not helpful to voters,” Lerner said.

 

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