A New York state supreme court justice has ruled that the state must redraw its congressional map before this fall’s midterm elections, handing Democrats an opportunity to pick up another US House seat.
Justice Jeffrey Pearlman found that the current boundaries of the 11th congressional district — which includes Staten Island and parts of south Brooklyn — violated a state constitutional provision designed to protect minority voting rights. The district is currently represented by Republican Nicole Malliotakis, the only GOP member from New York City in Congress.
The ruling came after a Democratic-aligned law firm challenged the map, arguing that it diluted the influence of Black and Latino voters. Pearlman agreed, citing evidence of racially polarised voting and a history of discrimination. “Without adding Black and Latino voters from elsewhere, those voters already affected by race discrimination will remain a diluted population indefinitely,” he wrote.
The judge ordered the bipartisan redistricting commission to draw a new map by 6 February. The state legislature will have final approval. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries called the decision “the first step toward ensuring communities of interest remain intact”.
The ruling escalates a national redistricting battle ahead of the 2026 midterms. Republicans have already redrawn maps in Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina to add seats, while Democrats are pursuing gains in California and Virginia. Malliotakis described the lawsuit as “frivolous” and said she was confident of prevailing.
