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“Plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.” Marcel Proust

WPCNR CAMPAIGN 2024 ROUNDUP. By John F. Bailey February 17, 2023:

 

The New York State Independent Redistricting Commission has sent its redrawn congressional maps characterized as having been arrived at by a genuine effort of compromise to the state legislature for legislature approval.

All 26 District maps are on the NYIRC website: https://nyirc.gov/storage/plans/20240215/congressional_plan.pdf

(Simply scroll Down to District 16 and District 17.)

Leaks of how districts changed  found their way into the hands of some media outlets in time for stories to be published in major media as of Wednesday morning, when no maps were available. There were no explanations from the NYIRC  as to the effects of the redrawn maps and how many districts had changed, after the Commission voted 9 to 1 Abstention Tuesday afternoon to approve maps and then a second 9-1 vote to send the new maps on to Albany legislature for approval or denial.

The legislature in on vacation now and as of today Saturday State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins has not called the legislators back to Albany to consider a timely approval or more time to make changes before petition signature collections are scheduled to start.

The Congressional Districts of interest in the Westchester area are District 16 and 17. The District 16 map below shows no change from the previous district. The 17th district remains the same and incumbent Congressman Mike Lawler is very pleased at that.

NEW REDRAWN DISTRICT 16 IN GREENOVERLAY SHOWING NO CHANGE. (AND A CLOSER VIEW BELOW 🙂

THE NEW CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT 16 HAS  519,751 REGISTERED VOTERS, 255,074 WHITE, 119,751 BLACK, 112,155 HISPANIC AND 30,355 ASIANS.

DISTRICT 17 NEWLY REDRAWN IS SHOWN BELOW IT TOO IS VIRTUALLY UNCHANGED

DISTRICT 17 HAS 533,808 REGISTERED VOTERS, 45,236 BLACK, 390,729 WHITE, 69,538 HISPANIC AND 26,093 ASIAN.

Voting organizations across the state were not enthusiastic about the proposed redrawn districts.

The NY League of Women Voters rounded up statements from a number organizations on the execution of the new proposed redrawn maps:

In what feels like the never-ending story, we bring you more news on redistricting. On Thursday, the Independent Redistricting Commission met and announced a new set of Congressional maps. You can take a look at the maps here and compare them with the 2022 version. NYC and Long Island will remain mainly unchanged, aside from a few small sections in Brooklyn and Queens. Upstate NY (yes, I’m unfortunately referring to anything above the city as Upstate) will see more drastic changes if these maps pass in the Legislature. Legislators are in their home districts on break next week so we won’t see them re-convene until February 26th. 

 

In response, the following groups released these statements:

“The reconvened Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) owes New Yorkers an apology. From the start, thiscommission met behind closed doors, locking New Yorkers out of a process that directly impacts them. We have no idea how these maps were drawn, who influenced them, and why the districts are the way they are. Now, the Legislature must hold at least one public hearing – and allow written testimony – so New Yorkers can weigh in on the process before lawmakers vote on these maps. It’s the least they can do,” 

Susan Lerner, Executive Director
of Common Cause/NY.

“New Yorkers deserve a better redistricting process. The IRC should have held deliberations in public, and sought public input. Before voting on the maps, the legislature must hold at least one public hearing, and allow New Yorkersto comment on these lines. Going forward, we need a more independent process that reduces partisanship and outside influence over the commission, brings more diverse voices to the table, minimizes the potential for deadlock, and eliminates the Legislature’s authority to veto the final maps,”

Betsy Gotbaum, Executive Director of
Citizens Union.

“New York’s redistricting process has been plagued with multiple changes and convoluted decision making, ” said Cesar Ruiz, Associate Counsel at LatinoJustice PRLDEF.

“It’s essential that the legislature hold a public hearing.We cannot allow the will of the voters to be undermined. A redistricting process only works where there is a processin place that is fair, transparent, and equitable.”

“The League of Women Voters of NYS is dismayed that the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) held no hearings during their consideration of new congressional maps. Public input is critical to ensuring that the voters are choosing their elected officials and not the reverse. Even though it was not required by the court decision, the IRCshould have realized the importance to all to solicit this public input in this redrawing of the maps. The League has advocated for public input throughout this multi-year redistricting process and will continue to support all efforts now and in the future to ensure the public’s voice is heard in determining district lines,”

said Laura Ladd Bierman,
Executive Director, League of Women Voters of NYS.

“Public input is essential to give legitimacy to the redistricting process. Eyes are on New York. Don’t shut the public out of the process for a second time.

We ask the legislature to prioritize democracy over expediency and hold a
public hearing before any map is finalized,”

said Elizabeth R. OuYang, Coordinator, APA VOICE Redistricting
Task Force.

“New Yorkers deserve a transparent, fair and inclusive process when it comes to redistricting.

Instead, constituents were handed a set of congressional maps developed by the Independent Redistricting Commission without community input and shrouded in secrecy until their release today. Now it’s up to the Legislature to correct this wrong, by seeking and incorporating public input from New Yorkers before voting on these new maps.

This is the only way to increase trust in the system and ensure that every New Yorker has a say in the process that will impact their lives foryears to come. Building a more open process is vital for fostering an inclusive democracy that represents and upliftsthe voices of immigrants and all New Yorkers,”

said Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director of the New York
Immigration Coalition.

On Tuesday, these groups will host a virtual hearing on New York’s redistricting process. Attendees will hear from
members of the public and voting and civil rights groups about the current state of New York’s redistricting, why