Elections are supposed to offer voters a choice in their representation. Unfortunately, the winners of New York State legislative elections are typically elected in non competitive elections, but for the times when there is a rare general election contest for an open seat. In fact, New York’s state legislature has one of the highest rates of incumbency in the nation. Over the past 24 years, only 34 incumbents running in 2,520 general election contests have lost their seats to challengers. During the past 34 years, Republicans have controlled the state Senate and Democrats have controlled the state Assembly without interruption – the longest time in the nation for a state to have a divided state legislature. Under the current system of redistricting, the majority party leaders of both houses essentially determine how district lines will be drawn, allowing them to manipulate district lines to suit their political aims. They essentially choose their voters and shield themselves from competitive races well before the voters have a voice in deciding who represents them.

This three decade old divide causes partisan gridlock and contributes to an avoidance of addressing important public policy issues, often times delaying such consideration either until the last minute or when it is too late. What often results is the lack of a dynamic policy debate on important issues at election time, reducing election contests to nothing more than a foregone conclusion based on how the lines are drawn. In the end, voters are shortchanged as they find little reason to vote if their voice makes little difference in the preordained outcome.

In order to ensure more competitive elections, and a legislature that is more responsive to the diverse needs and concerns of its constituents, Citizens Union and Citizens Union Foundation supports bringing political reform to the way in which congressional and legislative district lines are drawn through the establishment of an Independent Redistricting Commission and adopting strict redistricting guidelines to ensure fair and competitive districts.

Citizen Union and Citizens Union Foundation believe that meaningful legislative and redistricting reform must include these four major principles:

I. The creation of an independent redistricting commission, much like the non-partisan entity established in Iowa, that would shift redistricting power away from those who stand to benefit from how lines are drawn, to a body that would be charged with drawing district lines in a fair and sensible manner with the best interests of the public in mind. This commission should be composed of registered voters of the State of New York that operate independently of the legislature and political parties and do not or have not held political or election office with two years of appointment and represent different geographic territories and political parties.

II. The development of a set of strict and fair guidelines ensuring that districts lines would:
- adhere to the requirements of the federal Voting Rights Act and the U.S. and New York State Constitution;
- promote the fair and effective representation of racial and language minority groups;
- not be drawn to favor or oppose any political party, or any incumbent federal or state legislator;
- adopt a stricter standard for population equality and be composed of contiguous and compact territory;
- keep intact neighborhoods and communities with established ties of common interest and association,
- and be drawn to encourage competitive districts.

III. A fair and transparent reapportionment process that includes adequate public hearings, opportunities for public comment and access to the data and proposed plans.

IV. A mechanism for passage that encourages the approval of the independent redistricting commission’s plan with minimal alterations by the Legislature and Governor

Citizens Union of the City of New York, a non-partisan force for good government for more than 100 years, works to inform and engage New Yorkers, to ensure local and state government values its citizens, addresses critical issues, and operates in a fair, open, and fiscally sound manner.

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Peter J. W. Sherwin, Chair • Dick Dadey, Executive Director • info@citizensunion.org