The number of Democrats in the state Assembly will soon narrow, putting them extremely close to the margin needed to pass their version of congressional maps later this year.
Bronx Assemblywoman Latoya Joyner announced Thursday she’d step down next week, leaving the chamber with 101 Democrats while 100 would be needed to pass redistricting maps without any Republican support.
“After careful consideration and with much difficulty, I have decided to bring this chapter of my life to a close,” Joyner wrote in a statement posted to X.
Joyner is leaving for an “exciting new opportunity” outside public service.
Last month, the state’s highest court ordered the state’s redistricting commission to draw new congressional district maps ahead of this year’s midterm elections. The move gives Democrats, who control the state Senate and state Assembly another chance to redraw the lines.
Under the state constitution, if the leaders of both chambers are from the same party, redistricting maps need to be approved with a two-thirds majority. With Joyner’s departure, Democrats can only afford to lose two more votes before needing votes from Republicans.
Since Joyner is leaving prior to April, Gov. Kathy Hochul must call a special election to fill the 77th District seat. Even though Democrats have dominated in the district for years, there’s not enough time to get through a special election without significantly delaying elections.
Under last month’s court ruling, the redistricting commission must submit maps to the Legislature for approval by Feb. 28. Designating petitions can start being circulated by candidates as soon as Feb. 27, already leaving very little wiggle room for delays.
Control of the U.S. House of Representatives could heavily depend on several key races in New York. Republicans picked up five seats currently rated by Cook Political Report as toss up races in 2024.
New York’s redistricting process has been an ongoing saga of twists and turns. The redistricting commission deadlocked in early 2022, leaving the state legislature to pass its own gerrymandered maps. Those maps were subsequently overturned in a ruling that was upheld by the state’s highest court, which ruled only about a little over a year and a half later to toss them out again.
Medgar Evers professor Jonathan Flateau, one of the 10 members of the redistricting commissioners, died this past weekend. Flateau had appeared remotely at a commission meeting just three days prior.
One of the redistricting panel’s co-executive directors told The Post that there was not an immediate timeline for filling the vacancy, but the seat needed to be filled within 30 days.