New York, N.Y. – Citizens Union today released the following statement from Executive Director Grace Rauh in response to the State Supreme Court’s decision ruling that New York’s 11th Congressional District is unconstitutional and must be redrawn:

“The New York State Independent Redistricting Commission should begin to work immediately to comply with the court’s decision to redraw New York’s 11th Congressional District. Timely action is essential to provide clarity and stability for voters, candidates, and election administrators.

“Avoiding further confusion and disruption to voters must now be the state’s top priority. As we have seen in previous years, prolonged uncertainty around district lines undermines public confidence and fuels voter cynicism. Crucially, the state should take every possible step to avoid another split primary election, which would harm voter participation and add unnecessary complexity to the election calendar.

“This decision underscores the importance of placing clear, enforceable redistricting criteria in the New York Constitution to protect voting rights. The standards voters adopted in 2014 continue to serve as a critical safeguard against unfair maps and provide an essential tool for challenging violations of voters’ rights. Lawmakers eager to weaken constitutional protections against gerrymandering should take notice of how these benefit New Yorkers in practice.”