First, the U.S. Justice Department must certify that the lines conform with the Voting Rights Act.
Then the State Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit that the creation of a 63rd State Senate seat violates the state constitution and was done only to help the Republican majority retail power.
There is still a possibility these lines could be struck down and the courts would have to step in once again. So in Brooklyn Federal Court, a panel of federal judges directed a court-appointed expert to start looking at new state lines by April 9, a move cheered by civil rights groups.
"Today the court has agreed to hold onto the case just to make sure that if there's a problem with the maps, that the court will be ready to step in," said Esmeralda Simmons of the Center for Law and Social Justice.
That same Brooklyn court has already created new Congressional lines, setting the stage for some interesting primary races for and between incumbents.
For example, Congressman Charles Rangel's district has been redrawn to encompass a large chunk of the Bronx, which is now majority Hispanic. So State Senator Adriano Espaillat has begun the process of gathering signatures in order to challenge Rangel in a primary.
NYC Wins When Everyone Can Vote!
Michael H. Drucker
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