Appeals court orders new congressional map for New York, Democrats could benefit

[July 14, 2023]  (Reuters) - A New York appeals court on Thursday ordered a redrawing of the state's congressional map, handing a victory to Democrats hoping to retake control of the closely divided U.S. House of Representatives in the 2024 election. 

The 3-2 decision by Appellate Division in the state capital of Albany reversed a lower court ruling, and directed the state's bipartisan Independent Redistricting Commission to restart the mapmaking process.

Lines drawn last year by a politically neutral special master helped Republicans flip four House seats in the Democratic-leaning state.

Republicans plan to appeal to the state's highest court, the Court of Appeals, which in April 2022 threw out a Democratic-drawn map that Republicans blasted as gerrymandering. It also said the special master should handle the matter.

Subsequent to that decision, the court's chief judge, who voted with the 4-3 majority, was replaced by an appointee of Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul, who progressives had pressured to undo the court's recent conservative tilt.

"The Court of Appeals must overturn this ruling, or Democrats will gerrymander the map to target political opponents and protect political allies - all to the People's detriment," Republican U.S. Representative Elise Stefanik and New York Republican Chair Ed Cox said in a joint statement.

New Democratic seats could help offset losses in North Carolina, whose highest court in April said that state's Republican-controlled legislature could craft new, politically advantageous maps.

The lawsuit was brought by a group of New York voters following the Court of Appeals decision, for a new map that would stand until after the 2030 census.

Justice Elizabeth Garry wrote for Thursday's majority that the redistricting commission had an "indisputable duty" to submit a new map, after legislators rejected its original plan and it deadlocked when trying to craft a replacement.

"Petitioners have demonstrated a clear legal right to the relief sought," she wrote. "In granting this petition, we return the matter to its constitutional design."

Democrats who lost seats in the 2022 election included Sean Patrick Maloney, who ran House Democrats' campaign arm.

Republicans gaining seats included George Santos, who is seeking re-election despite being indicted on fraud and other charges.

(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Matthew Lewis)

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