New York judges have recently given Democrats the opportunity to engage in gerrymandering once again, creating a sense of outrage. It will be up to the state Court of Appeals to reverse this ruling, but there are concerns that they may simply act as a rubber stamp for the state Senate Democrats. However, it is crucial to note that the current districts accurately represent the public’s will. In 2014, voters rewrote the state Constitution to ensure a fair redistricting process and explicitly prohibit districts that discourage competition or favor incumbents or specific candidates or political parties. This language was reaffirmed in a statewide referendum in 2021.
Despite these clear guidelines, state Democrats have taken advantage of the 2020 Census to pursue gerrymandering tactics. They deliberately caused a deadlock within the bipartisan panel responsible for drawing new electoral districts. Ignoring the law, the Legislature’s Democratic supermajorities pushed through maps designed to disadvantage Republicans and ensure Democratic dominance in the House. As a result, the Empire State would elect 22 Democrats to the House and only four Republicans, while the GOP would hold just 15 out of 63 state Senate seats.
Facing this unconstitutional and unfair situation, Republicans took legal action and succeeded in enforcing the Constitution. In 2022, the Court of Appeals upheld a trial court judge’s decision to appoint a special master to create fair and nonpartisan maps. Under these revised maps, New York Republicans actually gained four House seats instead of losing four, ultimately contributing to the GOP takeover of the House.
However, the desire for a level playing field is not enough for New York Democrats. Governor Kathy Hochul openly endorsed gerrymandering, citing her loyalty to the Democratic Party as her rationale. Representative Hakeem Jeffries, the new House minority leader, even used national Democratic funds to support a lawsuit seeking re-redistricting. Although the lawsuit failed at trial, the recent ruling from the Appellate Division has ordered a do-over, which many believe will lead to further gerrymandering.
Republicans will appeal to the state’s highest court, but concerns remain that the Democrats have already manipulated the situation. This was evident in the controversial rejection of Judge Hector LaSalle’s nomination as New York’s next chief judge. LaSalle, a principled liberal who might have voted against the gerrymandering efforts, was replaced by Judge Rowan Wilson, who had previously supported the initial gerrymandering in 2022. Additionally, the open seat on the high court was filled by Caitlin Halligan, seen as a close ally of Governor Hochul.
These political maneuvers and biased court decisions are pushing New York towards a permanent one-party state, despite the Constitution and the voters’ repeated demands for fairness. To uphold judicial independence and the rule of law, it is crucial for the Court of Appeals to issue a unanimous decision in favor of the trial court, overturning the appeals panel and safeguarding New York’s democracy from power-hungry Democrats.
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