After state courts in North Carolina and Ohio, and on Friday, in Maryland, deservedly dumped in the garbage highly gerrymandered congressional district plans drafted by partisan legislatures, Acting Steuben County state Supreme Court Justice Patrick McAllister must do the same thing here with the maps before him drawn by Albany’s Democratic supermajorities.
In North Carolina and Ohio, it was the slanted maps prepared by Republican lawmakers that were rejected by local courts for violating state laws or the state constitution to minimize potential Democratic wins. In Maryland, it was the handiwork of Democratic legislators that was thrown out for undemocratically undermining the chances of Republicans. Different states, different parties, different constitutions. Same outcome: fairness matters. The courts rightly won’t put up with bending the lines into pretzels to get desirable outcomes.
New York’s Constitution hasn’t allowed for overt gerrymandering since the voters approved a constitutional amendment against it in 2014. But that didn’t bother the state Senate and Assembly, which waved off the work of the new bipartisan state Independent Redistricting Commission and proceeded to try to reduce Republicans to the smallest possible number of districts.
The expert called in to testify before McAllister, Sean Trende, predicted that New York Republicans would win only four of the 26 proposed districts, half as many of the current eight they hold. That would mean the GOP would represent 15% of the state’s voters, even though twice that many generally vote Republican for Congress. Be glad that Hudson Valley Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney didn’t get his pals in the Legislature to squeeze the GOP down to just three districts.
Trende was also the expert in the Maryland case; the judge credited him in her ruling. McAllister has until April 4 to issue his decision, and he should also order the June 28 primary pushed back. The plaintiffs in the case suggest Aug. 23, giving plenty of time for fairly drawn districts and for candidates to collect signatures.
The primaries can wait a little while. Democracy is worth it.
