New York lawmakers are pushing for an amendment to change the congressional redistricting process.
The proposed amendment would empower the majority party in the state Legislature to redraw congressional lines mid-decade if another state does so outside a court order. The move is in response to Republicans in Texas, who are attempting to approve new congressional maps, which could cost Democrats up to five seats in the U.S. House.
Rachael Fauss, senior policy analyst for the advocacy group Reinvent Albany, thinks New York can better respond to what’s happening in Texas.
“If New York wants to have a better redistricting process, they could make a more independent process that puts voters first,” Fauss contended. “I think the problem with this amendment is, it would entrench politically motivated redistricting into our state Constitution. If one state gerrymanders, it would say New York can do so as well.”
New York just finished its own contentious redistricting process after its independent commission failed to create sufficiently independent district lines. So, the New York Legislature drew the congressional lines, which the State Court of Appeals then overturned in favor of a special master drawing them. While the courts could overturn partisan lines drawn by the Legislature under the amendment, Fauss argued such an outcome is far from certain.
New York lawmakers may be clamoring to pass the amendment but it is not a quick process. It must be approved by the entire state Legislature in two consecutive sessions, and then voters would decide whether to approve it. Fauss noted other states can serve as a model for a more independent redistricting process.
“California has an independent redistricting process, called the Citizen Redistricting Commission,” Fauss pointed out. “Voters in the state of California can apply to become commissioners, and they draw the lines. It flips it on its head, where it’s not politicians drawing their own lines, it’s voters drawing lines.”
However, a major concern is whether passing the amendment would erode public trust in fundamental processes like voting. Fauss feels New York should be bolstering voter turnout and worries the amendment could have the opposite effect.
“I think public sentiment when all they read in the news is, ‘The Democrats are trying to gerrymander; the Republicans are trying to gerrymander,’ it doesn’t make anyone feel good about our democracy,” Fauss added.
Edwin is a reporter and producer in North Tonawanda, New York. He’s previously reported for the Niagara Gazette and the Ithaca Times. Edwin got an early start in radio interning for WBFO-88.7FM, NPR’s Buffalo affiliate. In 2018, he graduated from SUNY Buffalo State College with a B.A. in Journalism, and in 2022, graduated from Syracuse University with an M.S. in Communications.