NYS Legislature to vote down redistricting map, offer new one, source says

ALBANY — Democratic state legislators plan to propose a new map for New York’s 26 congressional districts Monday, soon after they vote down a version supported by a bipartisan panel, a source with knowledge of the discussions told Newsday.

The action could set up a vote on the new map by the state Assembly and Senate as soon as Thursday, the source said. The new version could “tweak” district boundaries of districts currently held by Rep.-elect Tom Suozzi (D-Glen Cove) and Reps. Brandon Williams (R-Syracuse) and Marc Molinaro (R-Poughkeepsie) slightly more Democratic than currently.

On Friday, Newsday reported that a map approved by the bipartisan Independent Redistricting Commission was considered “dead,” according to sources, and would be formally rejected Monday.

At issue is how to configure boundaries for the state’s congressional districts following an order by New York’s highest court to redraw a map imposed in 2022. Per the court order, the IRC worked on and approved a new map Feb. 15, forwarding it to the State Legislature for approval or rejection.

Redistricting is typically a bare-knuckle battle in every state, with the party in power trying to draw districts to help it gain a seat or more in the next election cycle.

The IRC map made almost no changes to New York’s current congressional map, prompting criticism from some Democrats in part because the state could play a key role in which party wins control of Congress this fall and shifting district boundaries could make the difference in some swing districts.

None of Long Island’s four districts — currently held by three Republicans and one Democrat — would have changed under the IRC map.

Once the IRC map is defeated, the next step would be for the Democratic-led Assembly and Senate to unveil a new map, which will likely occur Monday as well.

Several sources said the new map would make “modest adjustments” to only some of the 26 districts.

But that could include “minor shifts” in the 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts on Long Island, which would make Suozzi’s 3rd District a bit more Democratic and Rep. Andrew Garbarino’s (R-Bayport) district slightly more Republican, one source said.

The state constitution and the recent decision by New York’s Court of Appeals say that any legislative changes to IRC-drawn districts cannot affect more than 2% of the population in any district.

The current IRC map gave Democrats a small boost in Syracuse, traded off Democrat and Republican territory in the Hudson Valley and Catskills and otherwise made few changes.

Democrats currently hold 16 congressional seats in New York; Republicans hold 10.

By Yancey Roy

yancey.roy@newsday.com@yanceyroy