Congressional redistricting is both on-hold and yet continues in New York.
On Oct. 2, the Court of Appeals upheld a stay, saying that voting on maps and sending them to the Legislature will not be permitted until the Court of Appeals rules on this case.
But the court also said that the order did not prevent the commission from meeting and getting public input.
So, it’s both working and yet, on hold.
Chair of the Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) Ken Jenkins filled us in on what certain commissioners are up to.
“The commission itself hasn’t been up to anything, but the Democratic commissioners did send out a statement that, pursuant to the court’s determination, that we were going to be able to take some public input sent to our email address,” Jenkins explained.
Democrats on the commission are trying to get as much input as possible before the Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, hears oral arguments on Nov. 15 in Buffalo.
The current congressional district lines were drawn by a court-appointed "special master" in 2022 after the IRC failed to agree on new lines and the Court of Appeals rejected the state legislature’s attempts to draw its own maps.
When asked if this the IRC will have more luck this time around, Jenkins seemed optimistic.
"I think everyone understands now that there’s a requirement for there to be compromise, to work together,” Jenkins said. “And I’m not sure that was the case when things were first going on.”
A decision by the Court of Appeals in the case is expected by the middle to end of December.