For Immediate Release
Contact: Lauren Mannerberg lauren@anatgerstein.com 929 553 7702
New York, N.Y. (April 21, 2023) – Citizens Union releases the following statement from Executive Director Betsy Gotbaum following the state Independent Redistricting Commission vote to advance the final draft maps of the Assembly districts:
“The new Assembly districts approved by the Independent Redistricting Commission are strikingly similar to the districts drawn by the legislature last year, with some analysis showing that two-thirds of districts are at least 99 percent identical.”
“This similarity suggests that the Commission drew the assembly maps to please lawmakers, who have the final say over the maps’ approval. Without explanation or justification for these similarities, the Commission’s version of the maps would seem to have prioritized the will of the Assembly incumbents over the New Yorkers’ who showed up to testify.”
“The Legislature’s veto power over district maps should be eliminated, and more broadly, New York’s redistricting must be more independent of the state’s elected officials.”
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