It appears the boundaries Central New York’s 22nd congressional district are changing again.
The state’s independent redistricting commission fulfilled a court order by voting 9 to 1 Thursday to approve a new map of New York’s 26 districts. The 22nd district shifts south and west from its current shape, keeping all of Onondaga and Madison Counties, but shedding northern Oneida County in favor of gaining parts of Cayuga and Cortland counties. Ken Jenkins, chairman of the Independent Redistricting Commission, said before the vote that the panel worked through its challenges to arrive at a single plan.
“I am proud of this collaborative, bipartisan endeavor to put forth congressional districts that reflect the criteria established by state and federal law, and I am pleased that the courts gave us this chance to make good on the Constitution's promise," Jenkins said.
In December, New York's highest court, the Court of Appeals, told the commission to get back to work, saying it had fallen short of its constitutional duties by delivering two different maps in 2022. Commission Vice Chair Charles Nesbitt acknowledged there were still some differences in the process of creating the new map.
“We often disagreed. However, the difference is that both of us, especially Chairman Jenkins, maintained a commitment to this process," Nesbitt said. "Without that commitment, we would not have had a result. We would have not had the work product that we're presenting to you today.”
Nesbitt called it a historic moment reached only through cooperation and compromise. The commission also voted 9 to 1 to send the final congressional map and enabling legislation to the democratic-controlled state legislature.
If lawmakers or Gov. Kathy Hochul reject it, they could once again draw their own lines. That’s what happened in 2022. But Republicans sued and won, and those maps were thrown out by the courts. A “special master” was ultimately appointed to redraw the lines that were in place for the 2022 congressional election.
