水果派AV

The state Court of Appeals, by a 4-3 vote, directed the state Independent Redistricting Commission to submit new maps to the state Legislature by Feb. 28, 2024. The commission consists of 10 members, with four Democrats, four Republicans and two unaffiliated with the major parties.听

"We are holding the IRC and legislature to what the constitution demands and will do so as often as necessary to secure compliance with its mandate," Chief Judge Rowan Wilson wrote in his opinion. "That said, we trust that the members of the IRC will act as the constitution requires without further need for judicial intervention."聽

The decision shakes up the 2024 congressional races in New York, where several seats were expected to be battlegrounds that could decide whether Democrats or Republicans win control of the House.听

The fight over New York's congressional district maps began in 2022 when the redistricting commission failed to reach an agreement. Democratic and Republican members were divided, which resulted in competing proposals being submitted to the state Legislature for review. Legislators rejected the maps.听

When the commission failed to submit a second proposal for consideration, the Democratic-controlled state Legislature took over the process and drew congressional districts favorable for Democrats.听

But those maps faced a legal challenge from Republicans 鈥� a lawsuit that led to a court-appointed special master redrawing the congressional district maps for 2022.听

However, the legal fight wasn't over. The plaintiffs in the latest redistricting fight argued that the state Independent Redistricting Commission violated the constitution by not submitting a second set of maps in 2022. A state appellate court agreed in July and ordered the commission to redraw House district maps for 2024.听

Ultimately, the case was decided by the state Court of Appeals under Wilson, who was nominated by Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul. By a slim margin, the court ruled that the commission violated the constitution by not producing a second proposal nearly two years ago.听

U.S. Rep. Suzan DelBene, who chairs the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, called the ruling "a win for democracy and particularly the people of New York." House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, an upstate New York, blasted the decision in a statement that also ripped Democrats for politicizing the state's highest court.听

Ken Jenkins, who chairs the state Independent Redistricting Commission, said they are pleased with the decision and "look forward to getting back to work with our colleagues as soon as possible to ensure that New York's voters receive the benefit of the historic redistricting reforms they voted for in 2014."聽