The Independent View: Redistricting in New York

The U.S. and state constitutions require district lines to be redrawn every 10 years. In the past, district lines have been drawn by deal-making legislators through a process known as “gerrymandering,” which discourages competitive elections because the lines are drawn to favor a particular party. That protects incumbents and stifles serious debate on issues, which ultimately results in lackluster government.

One plan was introduced last week by Govenor Andrew Cuomo and a similar bill in the Senate is co-sponsored by Sen. David Valesky, D-Oneida and Sen. Michael Gianaris, D-Queens. Both bills would create an independent, bipartisan commission to re-draw district lines based on the 2010 U.S. Census.

These plans includes:

- A clear prohibition of drawing lines that favor or hurt any incumbent, presumed candidate or party.

- Congressional districts would be nearly equal in population.

- The most populous and least populous Senate and Assembly districts would have to be within 1 percent of the mean population of districts in each chamber, as opposed to 5 percent.

- Districts will be “united communities of interest” that could include cultural interests, and few counties could be divided.

Legislators have never really embraced the idea of independent redistricting. Cuomo promised during his campaign that he would veto lines drawn by the majorities to protect their power. That would mean the Legislature would have to override it, and that would require several minority party lawmakers to join them. Without agreement, a court would draw the districts, an option that provides leverage for Cuomo to get cooperation from legislative leaders.

The package is the same as the one Governor Andrew Cuomo campaigned on during his march into the governor’s mansion in last year’s election. Since then, Cuomo has asked both houses of the state legislature in Albany to join him in supporting those reforms.

Now that the senate Democrats are on board and are urging their Republican colleagues to remember their pledge to enact those reforms, it only remains for Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver and his Democratic majority to get aboard and bring true reform to Albany.

Gianaris, an ardent advocate of independent redistricting while he served in the Assembly, stated: “For too long, the people of New York have been shut out from unaccountable representation.” He said the enactment of his bill will send a strong message that we hear the calls of a public restless for change and are ready to rise to the occasion.

Signaling his total support for the bills, state Senator Jose Peralta stated: “It’s time to deliver on the pledge that we made to voters to fix Albany.”

Lawmakers who truly believe in fair, representative government and not simply self-preservation will support a proposal for independent redistricting of legislative districts.

Contact your New York lawmakers and tell them to do this the easy — and right — way and create the independent commission to redraw the lines.