


New York’s highest court tossed out the state’s congressional maps, giving a redistricting panel another shot to redraw several hotly contested districts that could decide control of the House of Representatives in 2024.
In a 4-3 decision, the New York court of appeals upheld a challenge by Democrats arguing the state’s redistricting commission and legislature should have another crack at implementing districts ahead of 2024. The high court ruled last year that the Democratic-controlled legislature unconstitutionally approved gerrymandered districts in their favor, leading to a court appointed special master to redraw them for last year’s midterms.
“It is our obligation to enforce the constitutional process, not give up on it because of a judicial judgment that it was ill advised,” Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote in his decision tossing the maps.
The current court-drawn maps include five districts currently rated as toss ups by the Cook Political Report, all of which were won by Republicans in 2022.
“Today’s decision is a win for democracy and particularly the people of New York. We are eager for the Independent Redistricting Commission to get back to work to create a new, fair congressional map – through the process New York voters intended.” DCCC Chair Suzan DelBene said.
The process for redrawing the maps for 2024 now heads to New York’s redistricting commission. The panel is charged by a constitutional amendment approved by New York voters in 2014 with holding a series of public hearings and submitting maps to the legislature for final approval.
“The Constitution mandates that the resulting constitutionally enacted and substantively unchallenged maps remain in force until the next federal census,” Judge Anthony Cannataro wrote in his dissent. “This time, however, politics triumphs over free and fair elections.”
Republicans tell the Post if the maps ultimately put in place aren’t fair, they’ll go back to court again.
The court’s decision puts New York’s congressional races, once again, in upheaval with incumbents and challengers on both sides of the aisle unsure if they’ll still reside in the district where they’re currently running.