New York Democrats take first steps toward an aggressive 2028 redistricting plan

Audio By Carbonatix

New York Democrats are wading into the national redistricting wars — just don't expect a victory before this year's midterm elections.

Democrats in the state Legislature are taking the first steps toward a plan to give themselves more control over redistricting, introducing a proposal Monday that could open the door to a new set of aggressively gerrymandered congressional lines for the 2028 elections.

The measure came as Democrats in New York vowed to counter Republican redistricting efforts elsewhere but were barred from redrawing the state's map without a constitutional amendment, which requires two legislative approvals over two years before it can go to voters as a ballot referendum.

Democrats are instead moving forward with a proposal to change the state constitution's redistricting rules, potentially allowing themselves to more easily draw new districts while also removing a ban on lines that favor political parties.

Though it wouldn’t help Democrats pick up any seats in this year’s midterms, the amendment could prove potent in the years to come after the U.S. Supreme Court gutted a key provision of the Voting Rights Act, kicking off a new, untamed front in the nation’s redistricting battles.

Elsewhere, Maryland's Democratic-led statehouse could consider a constitutional amendment this summer, paving the way for congressional redistricting ahead of the 2028 elections. In Georgia, Republican lawmakers are expected to revise congressional and state legislative districts in response to the Supreme Court's ruling.

Mississippi’s Republican governor also has said he expects lawmakers to redraw districts for the U.S. House, state legislature and state Supreme Court by 2027.

The redistricting flurry began after President Donald Trump urged Republicans to use whatever tools at their disposal to craft lines that could help the GOP hold on to its narrow House majority in November's midterm elections. Democrats moved to counter with their own efforts in different states, but were at times hamstrung by rules meant to prevent partisan gerrymandering.

In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul said her state's proposal “will give New Yorkers the power to fight back against attempts by Donald Trump and his allies to rig our elections.”

“As Republicans across the country redraw maps to shield themselves from accountability, it’s more important than ever that New Yorkers have a voice in the process,” she said.

The proposed amendment leaves the state's bipartisan independent redistricting commission in place but places tighter deadlines on its redistricting plans. It also allows maps to be passed by a simple majority in the legislature.

The proposal is expected to pass this week, but it will need another legislative approval next year before it can go to voters in 2027. If passed by voters, Democrats could begin tweaking districts for the 2028 elections.

Republicans in New York have accused Democrats of moving to corrupt the state's redistricting process.

“New York Democrats, who proclaim to want to protect democracy, they only protect it when it's convenient, when it suits their purpose, when it helps them gain power,” said U.S. Rep. Mike Lawler, a Republican who represents a purple district in New York's Hudson Valley.

“They don't care one iota about our elections, they don't care one iota about the integrity of our elections when it doesn't serve their purpose,” he said.

The U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year rejected an effort from Democrats to throw out the lines of the only congressional seat in New York City controlled by a Republican.

Democrats in the state Legislature redrew the congressional map in 2024 to give their party a modest boost in a few battleground districts, helping the party pick up a handful of seats. Democrats currently control a majority of the state’s congressional districts.