ALBANY, N.Y.—New York voters will face a ballot question next month that, if approved, would create a commission to oversee redrawing the state’s political map—a process that has long been criticized for being controlled by politics.
The proposed commission sounds like the kind of reform that would please good-government groups like Common Cause and Citizens Union. But instead, the two watchdog groups are split over the referendum and whether it represents progress or an empty promise.
State political districts are redrawn every decade in a process that good-government groups say is designed to protect incumbents. Sitting state lawmakers have been defeated in elections only 55 times in the thousands of legislative races held in the past 30 years.
This year’s ballot referendum—known as Proposition 1—asks voters to authorize a new commission to handle redistricting beginning in 2022. That’s the next time the state’s political districts will be redrawn to account for population changes.
Legislative leaders would appoint 8 of the 10 members on the commission, with the remaining two being selected by the eight sitting commissioners.
The commission’s redistricting plan must be approved by lawmakers. If the plan is defeated, or vetoed by the governor, the commission must submit a second plan. If that plan is defeated, lawmakers may amend the plan themselves.
Watchdog Opinions
Common Cause New York opposes the proposal, arguing that it leaves too much power in the hands of the Legislature.
“Proposition 1 is not what it seems to be,” said Susan Lerner, executive director of Common Cause New York, whose organization is urging voters to defeat the measure. “When people actually have an opportunity to take a look at the details they see there are some very serious problems with it.”
But Citizens Union Executive Director Dick Dadey said that while it’s not perfect, the referendum offers an unprecedented chance to make redistricting less political.
He noted that the proposal would allow voters to sue the Legislature over the plan and that it establishes principles prohibiting overtly partisan gerrymandering.
“Reform is an incremental process,” Dadey said. “Nowhere in this country has a state legislature given up power over redistricting unless it was forced to do so. And this isn’t just an incremental step. It’s several significant steps forward.”
Earlier this fall, Common Cause successfully sued the state’s Board of Elections to force it to delete from the ballot question the word “independent” as a description of the commission.
In his ruling, Supreme Court Justice Patrick McGrath wrote that the commission’s redistricting proposals would be “little more than a recommendation to the Legislature.”
From The Associated Press
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