In a case supported by Democrats and calling for new congressional boundaries, attorneys argued before a state appeals court in New York on Thursday.
The case may have repercussions for the 2024 contest for House control.
10 New York voters filed the case on their behalf, demanding that the state redistricting committee submit new proposed state congressional boundaries for 2024.
In the event that the plaintiffs prevail, lines created for 2022 by an independent expert will be discarded.
Under those circumstances, Republicans were successful in flipping four congressional districts in New York.
Democrats who support the action stated that they want to guarantee that a state commission chosen by voters to develop political maps before the 2022 election is able to carry out its constitutional mandate.
After the arguments in the appeal division of the state Supreme Court, former Republican Rep. John Faso stated that the opposition’s aim in this case was to gerrymander the state if they were to succeed.
The state’s Independent Redistricting Commission, which is composed equally of Democrats and Republicans, was supposed to draw New York’s political maps for 2022, but when the commission was unable to come to an agreement, the Democrat-controlled Legislature stepped in and drew its own maps.
Republicans charged Democrats with gerrymandering since the designs approved by the legislature would have given Democrats a sizable majority of the state’s registered voters in 22 of the state’s 26 congressional districts.
The highest court in New York determined following a legal challenge that the Legislature lacked the right to redefine the boundaries.
An expert was given the green light by the Court of Appeals to create fresh, competitive congressional district designs.
According to those maps, Republicans were able to pick up seats in New York, including one held by Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney, who oversaw the House Democrats’ electoral campaign.
Even though Democrats performed better than anticipated nationwide, the Republicans romped to victory in New York.
In the House, Republicans presently outnumber Democrats by a margin of 222-213.
The commission and its members were sued by the voters last year on the grounds that they had violated the redistricting commission provisions of the state constitution.
They want the commission to be forced to present fresh suggestions.
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