By Colin Campbell 3/15/12 6:47pm

redistricting madness

The Senate Democrats would like to see districts like this change still.

Democrats Make ‘Highly Unusual’ Request for Court to Intervene on Senate Lines

Earlier today, the New York State Senate Democrats asked the court currently enacting the state’s new Congressional redistricting plan to consider expanding their efforts and, at the very least, draw up their own maps for the State Senate as well.

They made two core arguments about the need for this legal action in their letter to the court.

“First, the Legislature’s plan is subject to preclearance by the Department of  Justice pursuant to section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, a process that can take up to 60 days,” the wrote, referring to the required process of federal review for some counties in New York like the Bronx, Manhattan, and Brooklyn. Read More

By Colin Campbell 3/12/12 5:00pm

battle lines

ny redistricting

Senate Democrats Release Senate Republicans’ Map

In typical fashion, the State Legislature released their new redistricting maps for the State Senate and State Assembly in the dark of the night on Sunday in an unreadable 20,000 word textual format instead of actually providing visual map.

The Senate Democrats, however, apparently compiled the data and provided the new State Senate maps to reporters.

“Since the Senate Republicans are content on keeping the public in the dark and concealing the maps that they produced, we will do it for them,” Senate Democratic spokesman Mike Murphy wrote. “Attached you will find the maps which show very clearly that there is virtually no change from their previous proposal.” Read More