NYIC Action - NY’s Redistricting Commission Failed, Is Albany Ready to Produce Fair District Maps?

 

Albany Legislators Solely Responsible for Creating Fair and Representative Maps   This morning, the NY Independent Redistricting Commission announced it would not meet the January 25 deadline to send a final set of proposed district maps to the NYS legislature. Earlier this month, Albany legislators voted down the two sets of maps the Commission unveiled. The maps detail New York’s congressional and state legislative districts. With the Democrats holding a very narrow majority in the US House of Representatives, these maps will have a national impact.  Murad Awawdeh, Executive Director of NYIC Action, issued the following statement: “It is absurd that the Independent Redistricting Commission failed in its fundamental mission. We worked too hard to ensure our immigrant communities were counted in the 2020 Census to accept the status quo regarding redistricting and community representation. Albany lawmakers must use the public input submitted to the Commission and deliver fair maps. Immigrants and communities across New York State deserve fair districts, and this is our one chance to get them this decade. Rather than draw partisan maps whose sole purpose is to protect incumbents, as in the past, our State Legislature must deliver for New Yorkers and draw maps that protect minority voting rights and ensure fair representation for all. We call on them to use all public input submitted to the Commission and to hold a hearing for public comment after their maps are drawn and before the vote.”    Background: NYIC Action is the lead facilitator of the Mapping Our Future campaign, a statewide coalition of 100+ grassroots organizations engaged in sustained and sophisticated political advocacy to protect immigrants and communities of colors’ power in the redistricting process.