City of Auburn Mayor Michael Quill is urging those tasked with redistricting not to break up the city into multiple districts.
Quill sent a letter to state Supreme Court Judge Patrick McAllister and court-appointed special master Dr. Jonathan Cervas asking that Auburn be “united within one congressional district and one state Senate district,” according to The Citizen. McAllister and Cervas were tasked with drawing new maps after the Court of Appeals ruled the Legislature-drawn maps unconstitutional and therefore invalid.
Related: Back to the drawing board: Court of Appeals throws out Democrat-drawn election maps
Will Auburn be split into multiple districts?
Quill wrote that the city’s interests have been historically best served when drawn “within districts that align strongly with the central New York region.” Auburn was included in one congressional district and one state Senate district in the maps drawn by the state Legislature.
Multiple individuals and groups have submitted proposals for redistricting to Cervas, including one from Empire Center that would split the city into two congressional districts, though none of the proposals submitted would divide the city into more than one state Senate district.
Related: Congressional primaries delayed from June to August as maps get redrawn
History plays a role
The 1992 maps- which were in effect from 1993 to 2002- split Auburn into two districts: One that went west towards Buffalo and another that went east and included the city of Syracuse and Onondaga County. Quill called the 1992 maps “a prime example of the inequities of gerrymandering” in his letter.
Related: Judge throws out Democrat-drawn redistricting maps, appeal to follow
What’s next?
Cervas is required to complete preliminary congressional and state Senate district maps by May 16, with the final maps being due on May 20.
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