A group of New Yorkers has filed a lawsuit against the state’s board of elections, alleging that its congressional map unconstitutionally dilutes the voting power of Black and Latino residents of Staten Island. The complaint, filed on Monday, targets the 11th congressional district, represented by Republican Nicole Malliotakis.
The suit challenges part of the map approved by the majority-Democratic New York legislature less than two years ago. It claims the district boundaries do not account for the increase in Staten Island’s Black and Latino populations in recent decades and violate the New York Voting Rights Act.
According to the petition, the antiquated boundaries confine Staten Island’s growing Black and Latino communities to a district where they are routinely unable to influence elections for their preferred representative, despite evidence of racially polarised voting and a history of racial discrimination on Staten Island.
The lawsuit is the latest move in the battle between Democrats and Republicans over congressional redistricting ahead of the midterm elections. It was filed by Elias Law Group, which has worked with Democrats on similar cases in Texas, Nevada and Wisconsin.
Experts note that Democrats in New York face legal hurdles to gerrymandering due to a 2014 state constitutional amendment that created a redistricting commission. Changes to the map may not be possible before the 2028 election, making this lawsuit a potential avenue for adjusting a single district.
